Strangled By the Red String
by DymondGold
Summary: When everything is taken away from her Mileena seeks revenge, but can a tainted shaman teach her to forgive, or will he be pulled into darkness with her? Revised Summary. Lemons, Swearing, Gore, and some Romance if you squint. Will be rated M for a reason
1. Cursed

**A/N: This is an idea that came to me while I was playing MK Trilogy, so the characters' looks are based on their appearance in that game; however, their history is all jumbled and mixed to my, and hopefully your, liking. About Mileena: I kind of guessed about her history since I don't play MK9 too often and since so little was said about it. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything MK-related; it belongs to Tobias, Boon and their gang, so thank them. **

* * *

**Chapter One**

* * *

Seeing the pasty-faced sorcerer again after so many months almost made me lose my appetite…almost, but a customer was a customer and at the place where I 'work' it wouldn't be the first time otherworldly beings have dropped by. So when I saw the man with two of his lackeys trailing behind him, I made my way over. The entire building pulsed with each beat of music and flashing light, and I swayed in time to it in my slinky costume. The sorcerer immediately grabbed me and, to my surprise, had us teleported to another realm. It wasn't until they'd started beating me all over the courtyard did I begin to fight back. I was fighting a losing battle but I didn't give up.

"What's your problem, paste-face?" I shrieked.

The sorcerer was relentless in his attacks.

"You will be my subject of interest as I test my new techniques," the deep-voiced man explained, "afterwards, my minions will dispose of your remains."

"What?" I cried out incredulously; he's crazy, crazier than me if he thinks I'm gonna' let him use me as some kind of guinea pig.

I increased my attacks but Ermac hoisted me high in the air and tossed me into the giant fountain in the center of the courtyard. I tried to get up but Rain, Quan Chi's other peon, manipulated the water against me. All of a sudden the sorcerer laid his hands on me underwater and I was gripped by this core-encompassing pain that burned through my veins, set my insides aflame, crushed at my heart and left me even more breathless than I already was. Right then, I didn't know if I was going to drown or if the intense agony would do me in. Just as quickly as it begun, though, it instantly stopped.

Quan Chi clutched me by my hair and yanked me out of the freezing water and then swung me back onto the courtyard like a sack of flour. I couldn't move, couldn't do anything but gulp in shallow breaths and wince as my ribs ached with each exhalation. I rolled onto my side and caught sight of my reflection on the base of the black marble fountain, highlighted by the waning moonlight. I screamed in fury and in slight terror.

"W-what did you do?" I screeched. I clawed madly at my mouth only to find that my sharpened nails and fangs were nowhere to be found, and in their places were dull shadows of what once was. I scampered on my hands and knees—which scraped easily on the rough concrete—and glanced at a clearer image of myself in the water. I screamed again, moaned out loud.

"What did you do?" I cried hysterically.

Quan Chi yanked me harshly to my feet and smirked. "I've taken away your very essence, stripped your Tarkatan DNA so that you are now a lowly mortal. With this technique, I shall exterminate the entire disgusting Tarkatan race and all others who oppose me!" the villain proclaimed haughtily.

He formed a lime-green portal and, along with Ermac, sauntered through it. To Rain he said,

"Finish her."

It was then that several powerful emotions emanated from within me all at once: the shame at being degraded and cast aside, the rage at this curse Quan Chi put on me, the pain of having lost my identity; I made short work of the Edenian punk and had him pinned under me in no time.

Fueled by pure adrenaline, I held him under me and raised my free hand to finish him off.

"W-wait!" the young traitor cried out desperately. "Don't kill me!"

"Why not?" I guffawed. He must be nuts if he thinks I'll let him slide. Of course I'm going to kill him, mutilate him, and eat whatever's left.

"Be-because I-I can help you" he stammered. I rolled my eyes_; typical Rain, trying to save his own skin. _

"You don't have anything that—"

"I know who can change—change you back" he panted. Now I was a bit suspicious.

"You're lying" I accused, but my strength was fading fast.

"NO no! I know someone! He can change you back, I think—I mean I swear!" he insisted. I shifted a bit and narrowed my eyes.

"You better not be talking about Shang Tsung or Quan Chi or so help me—"

"N-Nightwolf! He's a shaman nam-named Nightwolf, he knows all about this sor-sorcery stuff" Rain gasped and choked.

I squeezed his neck and hissed, "If you're lying, I'll hunt you down, you demi-god reject" I threatened. After a few seconds of further intimidation I let him up and he scurried into the fountain where he jumped in and disappeared. I collapsed as soon as he was gone.

* * *

**Thanks for reading, don't forget to review! Even though I have this story all written out, I won't type the rest unless you want me to, so tell me what you think!**

**P.S. Was anybody out of character? Let me know so I can work on that(i.e. play more Mortal Kombat)**

**~DymondGold~**


	2. Poisoned?

**A/N: So I was going to post this after I got some feedback but since I'd already typed this up at school the same day, I thought, why not. Maybe it'll help you all decide whether you want me to continue this story. So here you go!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own MK or anything affiliated with it, that belongs to Noob Saib-er, Ed Boon and John Tobias and their crew. **

* * *

**Chapter Two**

* * *

After traveling for nearly three days straight I've decided that being human utterly sucks. I haven't eaten, haven't rightly slept, hardly found a source of water, and feel like one of these days the bitter chilly nights will get the best of me. I passed out once yesterday and I'm scared that if I don't get some flesh pretty son, I'll faint again, but for good next time. I'm so miserable and I'm sure it's pure rage and hatred towards Quan Chi that's pushing me on.

I hiked through a creepy graveyard and was tempted to go searching for food; even rotted meat would have appeased me but I found not a scrap so I kept a bone or two in my mouth to keep myself distracted, only it didn't taste so good, jus tasted of dirt and ash. Never before have I felt this kind of terrible hunger or burning thirst, I hate it, I hate Quan Chi for doing this to me. More importantly, I hate Shao Kahn for getting himself killed. After all the loyalty I showed him, he could have put up a better fight against old paste-face. Since I'm on a roll, I also hate that cocky fiend Ermac, and that no-good punk Rain. I don't much care for that slimy old croon Shang Tsung, and I absolutely _loathe _my '_sister_' Kit—

"Aiee!" I screamed as I fell head-first over something rigid and…moving? I landed hard on my arm and was almost positive I'd broken it. _I hate how much more easily I break and bruise now that I'm…my blood boiled just thinking of my predicament. _

Turns out I tripped over a body, a very _huge_ body.

"All, maw; you alright there, miss?" the person asked groggily, as if I'd woken him up. It was a dark-skinned mortal, the hybrid Jaxon Briggs who I fought against once before. I panicked and stood uneasily, leaning on a tree in the dense Living Forest.

"Wait a minute" the muscular soldier stood as well, "Ain't you that crazy chick who came at me and Sonya a while back?" he accused.

_Bingo,_ I thought to myself. _Just don't rip me apart with those mechanical arms, big man_, I silently implored.

From the thick foliage a woman I recognized as his partner, Sonya Blade, joined him. _The failed assassination mission I'd been sent on was starting to bite me in the behind._

"Mileena? What are _you _doing here? And what happened to your face?" she asked bluntly.

I crossed both arms, "I don't know what you're on about wench; you mean to tell me there's something _wrong _with my face now?" I sneered sarcastically.

Three must be company for these people because yet another figure emerged from the woods; the actor, Johnny Cage.

"No sign of—whoa, who's the babe?" he whistled. I felt the tiniest spark of anger at that stupid human epithet that I'd heard many times while working at that shady club.

"Shut up, Johnny, she works for Shao Kahn: she's an enemy" Sonya spat.

"You're wrong, Blondie, Shao Kahn's been dead for months now." I rasped; I was stilled parched and starving.

"What? Well what are you doing _here_?" Sonya asked. I sighed—which drained me even more—and unfolded my arms.

"None of your business. Someone put a curse on me and I need to get to this shaman, um Nightowl?" I trailed tiredly.

"Nightwolf" Jax supplied, looking a bit concerned.

_He's probably just freaked out. Why would be concerned for you?_ That voice in my head said cruelly. I've been dealing with this other voice for as long as I can remember. I started to sway dizzily.

"Right, um," I slurred, "tell me…where I...find him and I'll…be out of your…way" I murmured before I fell over again, comatose.

_X_X_X_

Ferocious whispers edged me awake until I opened my eyes and remembered where I was and what happened. My fragile body was sensitive to every thorn and bramble underneath me, wedging its way inside my tender skin. I sat up and heard the soft crackling of a fresh fire in front of me and smelled something delicious cooking, as well as something spicy and sweet. The three Earthrealm warriors all stared at me distrustfully.

"You passed out earlier" Sonya stated.

"Did I now?" I retorted gruffly. I still felt weak and the back of my head was throbbing. I guess none of them bothered to catch me when I went down. _And why would they?_ The voice asked caustically. I chose to ignore it.

"Why did you?" she asked sharply. I couldn't maintain my sitting position so I plopped back down onto my back—a little too hard, though, and I cried out at what felt like knives being plunged deeply into my spine. _Pathetic, _that voice sneered.

Sonya softened and reached out to me. "I've seen to your broken arm as best I could." She said quietly, and I saw the sling on my left arm.

"Why did you do that? I thought you said I was your enemy" I scowled. Again she softened.

"I know, but…" she didn't finish. "Are you hurt anywhere else?"

I barked out a short laugh. "I'm hurtin' everywhere, Blondie. I haven't eaten in three days and I feel like I'm dying." _And that's putting it mildly, _I thought grimly.

As if on cue, I gasped as a throttling, searing pain rocked through my torso. I tried my hardest not to let in how much these spasms were affecting me and curled in on myself to wait it out. I shut my eyes and only sighed when the brunt of it was over. When I opened my eyes cautiously, still trembling, there was a plate of cooked food beside me. None of the warriors were looking at me.

I scooted closer to the fire and took the plate into my lap._ Don't eat it, it's probably poisoned, _the voice warned.

"What is this?" I asked hoarsely.

Sonya shifted but didn't meet my eyes. "Just something I made earlier" she answered.

"Some spiced-up MRE's, that's what it is" the dark-skinned soldier grinned as he and Johnny shared a laugh.

"Try it," Johnny suggested, "It's actually pretty good."

I craved flesh, but beggars can't be choosers. I used the plastic fork to shovel more and more of the flavorful food into my mouth until it was gone; that's when I licked the paper plate clean to the others' disgust.

"Here drink this. It's cider" Sonya offered me a paper cup that held a warm, sweet smelling amber liquid. I gulped twice before deciding to savor it like the others. At first I felt nice and full, but then I got a little queasy.

"Mileena, who put a curse on you? And why?" Sonya enquired. I decided to humor her.

"Quan Chi did: he developed a new technique that he's going to use to wipe out the Tarkatans" I told her nonchalantly. _As well as anybody else who stands in his way in building his new empire_, I guessed.

"You said Kahn was dead; did Quan Chi kill him?" Johnny asked.

"Bingo. He's taking over Kahn's empire." I informed him. _And probably the other realms, too,_ again I guessed.

"So you aren't allied with Quan Chi. Who are you with?" Jax asked.

"I'm not 'with' anybody" I frowned, "I was basically lying low in Earthrealm until that pasty-faced bastard dragged me back here."

For a moment only the snaps and cracks from the dying fire could be heard, and then the three started conversing with each other. I felt suddenly uncomfortable, like the heat was too much, and I started to sweat, and my stomach roiled uneasily; I didn't feel so good.

_I told you it was poisoned, _the sinister voice chuckled.

* * *

**A/N: Uh-Oh, Did the 'good guys' poison pinky, er, Mileena? Stay tuned and Review please to find out! **

**~DymondGold~**


	3. Taken

**A/N: Since you all asked so nicely, I'll upload more. I'll be so glad when I'm done with finals (class of 2012!) today was my last day of high school...bittersweet...Anyway, enjoy the rest of the story and thanks for your reviews!**

**BTW I don't own Mortal Kombat or its characters, that belongs to Ed Boon and John Tobias and their gang, so thank them for inspiring me.**

* * *

**Chapter Three**

* * *

Sick. Wet. Tired. Hungry. Angry. Ashamed. Cold. _Stupid, _that voice added snidely to the list,_ you should have listened to me. _Was that food really poisoned? I guess I'll never know since it's probably done its work. I heard that if you can tell you've been poisoned it's usually too late to do anything about it. Is that what's going to happen to me, is this how it's going to end? Me dying with my hands on my knees and puke all over my clothes, soaked to the bone while freezing rain continuously stings my skin and numbs my body?

I had declined the Earthrealm warriors' offer to sleep in their tent and had fallen asleep amidst the dry twigs, brittle leaves and rough dirt. Shortly after I'd been jarred awake by my aching, turning stomach and had heaved up my dinner in front of me. Seeing myself even more soiled and ruined than I already felt had broken down that dam I'd installed over the last three days and my newfound emotions came crashing over the debris. I was no longer stomach-sick, but my head was pounding and my back was no better. I was beyond uncomfortably wet, and was starving all over again. I felt things I couldn't quite explain, like shame and embarrassment, and was angry at myself for feeling these things.

I heard noises coming from the tent. Did they hear me retching? Was it my crying that woke one of them up? I don't know, but I knew I didn't want them to see me like this. They were supposedly beneath me, but surely not now, not now that I was one of them and at my worst—then again with my dumb luck, there could be more terrible things to happen to me between now and the near future.

"What's wrong?" Sonya called as she emerged from the tent. _Spoke too soon_, I thought miserably as the blonde strode towards me. I lowered my eyes instantly.

"You're crying." She stated with shock, and this made a lump form in my throat. I ignored it.

"No I'm not. What do you want, wench?" I choked out, hoping that it would sound more like a forceful growl.

"Ew, you," she got even closer, "you stink. What, did you step in something or—"

"Y-you don't sm-smell like r-roses either, Blondie!" I retorted through quivering lips. _Don't you think I know I smell bad? Just leave me alone already!_

"Why you!" she turned red for a minute and I thought I'd goaded her into a fight. Good, it would distract me, and then I wouldn't have to explain myself.

"Oh," she whispered, "I see." she claimed. "I'm sorry, I should have realized this sooner."

Her softened voice and compassion threw me off. "What a-are you talking about, wench?" I stammered. _No, get angry! I can do angry but not...this._

"Mileena, you..." Sonya knelt beside me and smiled gently.

Her blonde hair was stuck to her cheeks and her clothes melted against her body. There was mud and dirt on her legs, shoes, and socks but even then she still looked beautiful, flawless, with her rose-flushed skin and petal-pink lips. Me, I was just a monster. My own mouth was chapped, sore, bloody, and raw. These hands of mine were sticky and my nails were filthy. There was puke all over my body and clothes. This sensation, this feeling, it runs deeper than jealousy, my hatred towards Kitana was closer to that. No, this feeling is absolute loathing.

"Mileena..." Sonya reached out and placed her hands over the tops of my shoulders and I jolted back.

_She was touching me! Touching my filthy body with her clean hands! "Get off me!" _I screamed, and with a wince she did.

"Look, Mileena, you probably got sick for a number of reasons, like maybe you waited too long to eat and should have taken it easy. A few days without food can really do some work on your digestive system," she explained, "Or maybe because you were turned human, your body had some trouble adjusting to your new diet. I don't know, but I should have realized this sooner, maybe I could've warned you and all this could've been prevented." she sighed.

_She's...she's blaming herself? _I didn't know how to respond to that, so I didn't. I just sat there while she rambled on to herself for another few moments.

_You need to get away from these humans, _that sinister voice growled from the bowels of my mind. Great, just what I need, that psychotic voice giving me orders.

"Where are you going?" Sonya cried as I stood abruptly.

"What's it to you, wench?" I sneered.

"Why don't you stay with us? At least until we can get you to the lab and see what's wrong" she suggested.

I faltered, and Sonya implored me to give in with her eyes. I almost did.

_Don't you dare! It's a trap! They'll use you like Shang Tsung did!_ The voice screamed, and I held the back of my head to ward off the sudden thumping. I rounded on the woman.

"Oh, that sounds like a _wonderful_ idea, Blondie. Put me in a lab, strap me on a table, run some tests, have your fun and then what? Then what'll you do with me?" I asked caustically.

Sonya was a guilty kind of quiet.

"I already know what you'll do. You'll throw me away. Just like _he _did." I spat, and once again turned away from her. I started hiking off but she stopped me.

"Here." she said. I saw that she was holding something out to me. I came forward slowly and jerked it away from her. It was ribbed and wooden.

"What's this for?" I frowned. It looked like an ordinary old wooden piped instrument.

"Didn't you say you were looking for Nightwolf?" she asked, wrapping her arms around her and shivering. I was tempted to do the same.

"Yeah, so what? How is this going to help me?" I retorted testily.

Sonya brought the instrument to her lips and rolled her eyes. "Just blow on it like this and it'll summon the shaman. Make sure you're out of the forest before you use this, though." she instructed.

I pocketed the pipe between my hip and bottom half of my costume without a word. The sooner I could get to this shaman the better. I took off, running barefoot over the wet squishy earth so different from the Netherealm terrain I was used to.

The more distance I put between the other humans and myself, the calmer I began to feel. My heart stopped racing and my skull quit thumping. It was nice to be in control of my body once again, but I found that I was still deep in the woods and were those trees…_growling_ at me? I had to stop and rest for a moment, catch my breath.

Something snapped and broke to my left but I was sure it was no twig. _Run, get out of here! _The voice screamed. I rolled my eyes but before I could make a move someone emerged from the dark and chuckled.

"Surrender, and I won't have to use force." The smooth voice commanded. I scowled.

"Come at me, mortal" I retorted, but the guy was insanely quick and had me pinned by my shoulders against a tree.

"That's where you are wrong, woman," he said, "I am no mortal"

I got a pretty good look at him even though it was still dark and I could see that he had incredibly long, wavy blonde hair; not a nice clean glossy blonde, but a dirty blackish blonde, like it had been sprayed with tar. His eyes gave him away, for they were a bright red hue unlike many I've ever seen. He wasn't muscular, not that I could see, and he looked to be about the same age as that Edenian punk, Rain.

"I have been sent to fetch you," he smirked, "Please do not make this difficult."

_Please make this as difficult as possible_, was what his mirthful eyes were screaming, so naturally I obliged. I ducked from under his arms and landed a backwards kick against his chest.

He grabbed my offending foot and jerked it towards him so that I lost my balance and slipped in the mud. My entire backside was dirty and there were sticks stabbing into the back of my head. I ignored it.

I swung at him a couple more times but he was quick. I could be quicker, though, and managed to sneak his right hip with a powerful kick. He didn't seem to be affected as he grabbed my leg again, but this time I anticipated the move.

I clenched my free leg around his waist and pulled my other up as well. My hands sought his neck and out of habit I tried to sink my dull teeth into his neck but tasted only sweaty skin, not coppery blood. I felt him dig his nails into my thighs and heft me over his shoulder. I hit the ground hard and lamented my failed attack. _If only I had my fangs, he would've been finished! I swear I'm gonna' kill that pasty-faced sorcerer when I see him,_ I vowed.

By the delicate fabric of my top the warrior dragged me to my feet and smirked before pressing two fingers against my temple. I was out before I could get in another punch.

* * *

"Did you find her?" The dark-haired shaman asked tensely.

His blond companion nodded with a muted grin. "Indeed. She was not hard to overcome. She was carrying this." The young man handed the piped instrument to his chieftain.

"Hm, I recognize this. She must have been seeking me out." the lean Apache chief mused. "Where did you leave her?"

With a chuckle the young warrior answered, "With the healers; she insisted on putting up a fight."

"You _do _know why I asked you to bring her, don't you?" the chief murmured lowly.

Instantly the red-eyed assassin perked. "No, you've kept that a secret Nightwolf, but I'll be glad to hear your reasoning behind kidnapping this woman"

"She's no woman, Tvari" Nightwolf said severely.

Tvari grinned "She sure did look like a woman, and a fine one at that"

"Is that so? Well I suppose her fangs and slitted eyes were hard to see in the dark" Nightwolf remarked to himself.

"What? She didn't have fangs or anything, she looked like an average mortal woman...okay, so maybe a little more than _average_." Tvari joked.

Nightwolf frowned. "So if what you say is true, she must have been the recipient of Quan Chi's latest spell."

"You mean the one that you said was wiping out the tarks?" Tvari questioned. His leader nodded.

"I believe she'll want me to reverse the spell." Nightwolf sighed.

"Could you?" Tvari asked.

"It is possible." Nightwolf nodded.

"Would you?" his subordinate asked.

"Perhaps, provided she offers me something in exchange." Nightwolf replied ominously.

It was quiet in the woods as the two men stood in the clearing with their eyes to the moon. Often Nightwolf came to speak in private with his general, his confidant, his friend, Tvari. Ever since Tvari helped Nightwolf regain his soul and mind from the clutches of Shao Kahn two years ago, a bond was formed between the shaman and the immortal.

* * *

**A/N: Sorry for the enormous, long wait! I had to change the rest of the story so now it's unscripted and liable to twist. I did use some of Nightwolf's MK9 ending; he was possessed by Shao Kahn but managed to free himself, but not completely. I hope you are enjoying this so far, and please leave me reviews if you can, thanks! **

**~DymondGold~**


	4. Engaged?

**Warning: this is where it gets M-rated for language and such from here on out.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything MK-related, it all belongs to Tobias and Boon and associates-except Tvari. He's all mine.**

* * *

**Chapter Four**

* * *

I woke up in what must've been somebody else's bed, and almost naked at that; all I had on was a fuzzy brown shift/nightgown that skirted above my knees. I felt more exposed now than when I was wearing those raunchy pink costumes Shang Tsung designed for me. Losing my sai was bad enough, now without my clothes-or what was left of them, more specifically-I felt like I was losing myself even more.

_You'll still always be a monster, no matter what you look like,_ the voice sneered. At least _that _isn't going away anytime soon, I thought with a grimace.

I sat up on the fur pallet and gazed around the room. It was bare save for a bunch of tall wooden lamps bearing small fires lining the walls and weapons hanging on the opposite wall. The floor looked like packed earth and there was a giant window fashioned about five feet off the ground on the back wall and was covered in a ragged-edged brown curtain. Below the wall of weapons was a wooden chest of drawers and on top was a feather headdress.

Among the weapons were a pair of tomahawks, a heavy club, and a bow with a quiver of arrows. several daggers and knives scattered the dresser. The outside of the window was dark but the room was bathed in a warm orange glow. I got up and went over to see if I could determine where I was.

From what I could see, this was some kind of village surrounded on all sides by a thick wood. Several huts tiered off around this one and were all dark. The people must still be sleeping, I guess. What time is it?

The rustling of the straw-like partition that hung in the doorway caught my attention and I jerked my head over to where two figures were stepping into the room. The first one was that guy I faced in the woods earlier.

"Who are you and what did you do to my clothes?" I growled at him. He only smirked.

The man behind him, however, was none other than the shaman I'd been seeking out. I strode over to him.

"You're Nightwolf, aren't you?" I demanded, and the blonde man at his side narrowed his eyes.

"Have some respect; that's the chief of the village you're speaking to." he hissed. I promptly ignored him.

"Well aren't you?" I cried impatiently. That blonde man made to come at me but Nightwolf held him back.

He stared hard at me before speaking. "I am Nightwolf, " he confirmed, "and I have a proposition for you."

I grinned dryly, "Let's hear it."

"You might want to sit down" he advised, and with a wary frown I made my way back onto the pallet.

I tucked my feet underneath me and pulled the blanket over my lap: might as well get comfortable.

"Quan Chi has cursed you Mileena, has he not?" Nightwolf began.

"How did you know that it was Quan Chi?" I asked in suspicion. The man began to pace the floor slowly while my attacker and kidnapper leaned against the side wall, gazing at me intensely.

"The spirits have revealed this and more to me." he answered cryptically.

I crossed both of my arms. _Why is he staring at me? _I wondered agitatedly as the red-eyed man continued to do just that.

"What do you mean 'this and more'? What else have they told you about me?" I huffed. The last thing I need is a bunch of ghosts keeping tabs on me.

"That leads back to my proposition," he explained, "the spirits have informed me of your importance."

"My importance?" I repeated, "What are you talking about?" I asked testily.

"Watch your tone, mortal" that blonde man hissed at me, but this time I couldn't ignore him.

"Shut the hell up, I'm not talking to you!" I snapped.

He pushed himself off the wall with an angry twist to his lips. I stood up an balled my fists at my side so tightly even my dull nails pinched smartly into my palms.

"You fucking _kidnapped_ me, knocked me out for no reason in the middle of the night in the woods! I woke up and didn't know where the hell I was: do you _know_ how it feels to be in some place you don't recognize and you don't know how you got there, or what's going to happen to you? Of course you don't, you fucking bastard!" I shrieked.

"Mileena...I apologize" Nightwolf murmured. "I was the one who sent him to fetch you, and I realize it was inconvenient for you, but it had to be done."

_Inconvenient? That's a fucking understatement, _I thought, but held my tongue. I had to rein in these useless emotions.

"The spirits have told me that you are...that you are" Nightwolf struggled.

_A monster? A psycho-emotional freak? _That voice supplied maliciously.

"Spit it out" I ordered through clenched teeth. Between this voice and that man giving me dirty looks over there I was getting a killer headache.

"You are my betrothed" Nightwolf finally got out.

"Your be-what?" I asked.

"My betrothed. My intended wife, chosen by the spirits themselves." Nightwolf clarified.

_Oh. Well I see why he would hesitate, I mean nobody wants to marry a fucking monster, right?_

Even the red-eyed man looked shocked to hear this bit of news.

"This is my proposition, Mileena. I will reverse the spell Quan Chi has forced on you if you will agree to a marriage between ourselves" Nightwolf offered.

I bit my lip. _Well shit, I can't have my damn cake and eat it too, now can I? I swear I'm gonna' tear that pasty-faced bastard limb from limb when I see him._

"I will ask that you remain in the village for some time and try this out. If it is not what you want, then I will reverse the spell and allow you to leave." Nightwolf explained.

"So let me get this straight: you're asking me to marry you and spend time with you here as your wife and if I don't like it, you'll heal me and let me go? How much time are you talking?" I asked.

Nightwolf tilted his head. "For us to become fully acquainted with each other would take at least three months" he predicted.

"That's way too long," I protested, "I can't be tied down for three months, I have to kill Paste-face before someone else does."

"I wouldn't advise you to seek revenge" Nightwolf warned.

"I don't give a damn what you'd advise; make it a month or we have no deal." I demanded.

Predictably the blonde man closed his eyes and set his mouth in tight, distasteful frown, the picture of a person upset.

"A month is permissible, granted that's what you want." Nightwolf sighed.

I nodded thoughtfully, mulling things over in my cluttered head. What do I really have to lose? All I have to do is put up with him for a few weeks and then I'll be healed and able to exact my revenge. Seems like a pretty good deal. So what if I'll have to marry him? It's not like we're going to be together that long, because once that month is up, I'm gone.

_Who the hell are you kidding? You know no one could ever love a monster like you. Are you forgetting what he said? The spirits chose you, not him: he doesn't even want to marry you, _the voice raved. My eyes began to sting but I cut the tears short.

"Okay," I said, "I'll do it."

With another weary sigh Nightwolf walked over to the dresser. I chose to sit back down on the pallet, once again tucking my feet underneath me.

"Now there are a few stipulations I'll have to address." Nightwolf began.

"Here we go" I rolled my eyes and Blondie over there gave me the evil eye.

"The first of which is probably most important: I'll tolerate no ill will against my people, whether it be verbal or physical, and the same goes for my people towards you. If you experience abuse at the hands of any in this village, come to me and I will see to the situation." he assured.

"Okay. Next." I said curtly. More glaring from Mr. Red Eyes but Nightwolf remained calm and unfazed.

"While you are here, you will be confined to the perimeter of my territory; if you ever try to break our contract, I'll have my general kindly escort you back and keep watch over you." he said severely.

"Mhm, anything else?" I drawled.

"That is all. You may rest now. In the morning more will be explained to you regarding your stay here." he spoke, and added "Goodnight"

I didn't respond, but he didn't really stick around long enough to hear me if I would have. He and his friend left and a few seconds later I could hear a door shut in another part of the house, er, hut thing, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

_You need to get out of here_.

And that voice.

* * *

As the two men left the chief's central hut, Tvari couldn't help but let out a steamy sigh.

"That certainly was...surprising. I didn't know you were still in contact with the spirits, what with all that's happened." the general trailed.

Nightwolf shrugged. "They have continued to lend their counsel."

Tvari glanced at his chief. "So you're going to go through with this?"

"Of course. It is their will." Nightwolf answered.

"Yes, but you know she's going to choose to leave. You're wasting your time" Tvari muttered boldly.

"I'll be the judge of that" Nightwolf intoned as he continued to follow his general to his second, outermost home within a clearing in the forest.

* * *

**A/N: That's it for this chapter. Please review so I can know what I am doing wrong because this story just seems so boring to me. I'm seriously thinking about discontinuing it, but I haven't decided yet. :/ Anyway, thanks for reading! **

**~DymondGold~**


	5. Challenged

**There is going to be some darker things in the story from now on. And I apologize for the wait again, this might unfortunately be a habit, sorry :/**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything MK-related, but I do own Tvari**

* * *

**Chapter Five**

* * *

It would seem his nightmares had taken a turn for the worst, Nightwolf thought, as he woke up in a cold sweat. Depraved images of that woman haunted him last night and he knew the foul beast within him was wholly responsible. Kahn's possession may have been rid of him, but Nightwolf's mind was tainted as ever, and that dark presence was proof enough. Usually it would only tempt him to kill and lash out at others, and with his peaceful nature Nightwolf kept it at bay, but that inner demon seemed to have a _different_ purpose in mind for Mileena, albeit it was just as dangerous. However, Nightwolf refused to let it take control of him.

It had already taken so much from him, most of all his health. Once taut, brawny muscles had been drained almost completely and there were days when the shaman could hardly hold a meal. With Tvari's help in dispelling Kahn's aura, Nightwolf managed to slowly rebuild his body into a shadow of what it once was. Lean and sturdy, but not nearly as bulky. His skin had darkened, was more of an oaky red, and many claimed his eyes changed colors whenever he was about to lose control over his 'beast'.

His heart was thumping dully after the 'excitement' of his last vivid dream and his body was drenched in sweat. He was alone in his hut in the clearing, for Tvari had already left to attend to his morning duties, so he decided to see about the object of his beast's attentions...right after a trip to the lake for a cold morning wash, that is.

* * *

When I was on my own I tried to make sure I always lived alone, and for a good reason too. I barely got enough sleep since I've been human and here these people were robbing me of what little I did manage to retain in the flat but comfortable fur pallet. The village was live and loud, and had woken me up abruptly with all the shouting and yelling and laughing and banging.

Angrily I shoved the blanket off of me and noticed my brown shift had risen up during the night. With an irritated grumble I yanked it down as far as it would reach over my thighs and stomped over to the window. It was dark in the room because all the flames in the lamps had been blown out. From the spacious window I could see the people milling about doing various early morning chores and having conversations.

The sun was nowhere to be found.

I wondered to myself what was wrong with these people when the partition rustled at the other side of the room. Nightwolf was back, and armed with clothes and a pair of shoes.

"About time you showed up. Can't you tell your people to save their shenanigans 'til after the fucking sun comes up?" I grouched. _I hate when I can't get enough sleep. __  
_

"I have come to explain to you the intricacies of the situation." Nightwolf ignored me and set the clothes on the rumpled bed.

"Hmn" I rolled my eyes and turned back to the window.

"The marriage ceremony is scheduled in a month and is liable to be canceled should you choose to leave." He continued.

"Kay" I replied curtly, mainly just to annoy him. I love seeing people get all riled up, but he didn't seem to care. He seemed distracted or something.

Nightwolf walked back to the doorway and clasped his hands behind his back. "Once you get dressed, come out into the hall so that I may show you around my home." He said while backing out of the room.

Once he was gone I tilted my head thoughtfully. So this was his home? It was pretty quaint, well at least this room was. Must be a guest room or something.

I examined the garments Nightwolf left and snorted. It was a long fringe skirt and conservative long-sleeved shirt, both made of some soft brown animal hide. I'll be lucky if I don't die of heatstroke in this fuzzy getup. I got dressed pretty quickly and scowled at how loose the top of the shirt felt; obviously my _assets _have suffered with this stupid curse. _Damn Paste-Face, I bet he did this on purpose. All the more reason to gut his ass, _I thought darkly.

I slipped my feet into the moccasins(the only thing that fit me right, as the skirt was sliding steadily down my hips) and trudged past the partition and into the hall where the shaman was waiting.

"These damn clothes don't fit, and they're hot as hell" I bluntly told him. I watched him cringe in disapproval.

"I apologize. They were donated by one of the women in the village. They will have to do for now. And I'll ask that you refrain from using such crude, unwomanly language" he ordered.

I folded my arms. "I'll speak any kind of way that I want, you might be chief around here but you don't rule me," I told him rudely.

"If you wish for me to reverse the spell then you must abide by my rules. That is the agreement, if you don't like it, you may leave" Nightwolf said sternly.

"Whatever" I bit out, already disliking this man. Now I _definitely_ know I won't be marrying him. Not that I'd ever given it any thought, anyway.

"Follow me." He said, in a much more callous tone than before. At least I managed to get him a little tiny bit worked up. He's gonna' be a challenge, though.

He led me across the hall to where a room with a large tub and standing sink were. The modern contraptions were a bit out of place, but very much welcome, in the home. From there he showed me to a closet beside the bathroom that held what looked like plain old linen towels and animal hide blankets. After that the hall gave way to two spacious rooms; one was a sort of living room and the other a kitchen. In the living room there was a fireplace, a huge rug, and about four or five wooden bookshelves lining both walls on either side of the hearth, all stacked with dusty tomes.

In the kitchen there was a central pit or grill with iron bars surrounding and interlocking the wood at the bottom. It was probably some kind of stove. There was a fashionable but small wooden table and chair set on the wall next to the door that separated the dinette set from the living room. Cupboards were nailed high on the walls and contained spices and foods and jars and bowls. The sink across from the 'stove' was also a modern touch, but that was just about it. All in all, his home was a modest one.

"That's it?" I said curiously to myself. Unfortunately Nightwolf must've heard me.

"Excuse me?" he asked, crossing his arms and leaning against the front door.

"I just thought, since you're the chief and all, you'd have this really huge, lavish house" I explained, "Guess not." I shrugged.

With a bemused look of his own Nightwolf said, "The wealth of a ruler lies not in material possessions, but in the rich welfare of his country, the happiness of his people" he said sagely.

I remember when I was working for that stingy bastard Kahn and how he always drowned himself in women and money and everything else he could get his grubby hands on. Nightwolf looks to be the total opposite of that selfish fiend, though; seems like the shaman actually _gives a shit_ about the people he rules over.

"I have work that I must attend to, so you will be left to your own devices." Nightwolf told me. His eyes flickered for a second and his lips twisted bitterly, as if he'd tasted something bad, or was aggravated.

"What kind of work?" I pried. I took a seat at the table and cringed when the chair squeaked noisily.

"That does not concern you. Make sure you stay within the limits of the village if you choose to leave the hut." Nightwolf monotonously answered. He dropped his arms at his sides and agitatedly left, shutting the door behind him.

"The hell's eating him?" I wondered aloud, then grimaced at that ugly shift I wore. _Time to make some changes around here, starting with this beastly wardrobe, _I smirked.

I strode quickly through the house and slapped aside the light partition that hung in the precipice of the room I'd dubbed as my own, temporarily at least.

First I checked all over the bed and in that corners, and in the windowsill for a needle and threat or something I could use to sew with. I found nothing. Then I checked the dresser. I saw all the knives and the headband, but no thread or needle.

There were only three drawers and after going through several loincloths, shirts, and other pieces of clothing I still hadn't found what I was looking for. I _did_ find a pair of tight-fitting pants and a closed red vest that looked decent enough.

It wasn't so decent after I got through with it.

I only had daggers at my disposal so I could only trim the clothes to fit me. The pants became mid-thigh length shorts and the hem of the vest cut jagged up to my navel. The strings in the front of it had to be tightened but I made it work.

The dagger was easy to handle and it was plain black and rough, simple. I liked it, so I tucked it next to my hip. Deeper into the drawer I came up with a necklace, a curved ivory bone dangling from a sturdy brown string, and there was still traces of what must've been blood on it.

Nice.

I pulled it over my head and just noticed that my hair was in disarray. Nightwolf's looked pretty neat this morning so he obviously has access to a comb somewhere. I slipped my feet back into the brown moccasins and shuffled down to where the bathroom was. Sure enough, there was a hair comb fashioned out of wood sitting near the sink.

I ran it through my short hair and marveled at how thick it had gotten, I mean my hair used to be kind of long and black, but it was really thin. Now it was thick and sort of tangled down to my chin.

In the mirror I was once again surprised at my face. I'd only seen a blurry visage that night I was attacked, and now I finally got a clear picture.

My complexion was just as tawny as my skin and my eyebrows were still barely there, but my eyes were dark and shapely, in a good kind of way. There was no slit in them like before. That probably explains my dimmed eyesight.

Below my eyes was my unchanged nose and a pair of chapped dark pink lips. I touched them and pulled them apart to see all of my dull white teeth. They really weren't so bad. I mean, I actually looked...

_Like a damn freak! You're not meant to be human, _the voice interrupted. So it was back.

* * *

Nightwolf had thrown himself into his work again, his immense guilt being the main reason why. During the years he had been possessed, Kahn had wreaked havoc on his people and many homes were destroyed, as well as the trust between the villagers and their once beloved chief. Though things had since gotten back to normal, Nightwolf could still sometimes feel the skepticism amidst his men, even as he worked so hard to rebuild what he had figuratively and literally torn down.

With his face and upper body devoid of anything other than sweat, the shaman toiled away long into the afternoon alongside his warriors. He had yet to take a meal or stop for a break. He was too deep in thought for that.

He pondered what it would be like to have Mileena as his wife, and allowed a dismal sigh to escape him. He was no fool, he knew already which of the options she would choose, but he still held onto the hope that the headstrong woman would have a change of heart. Even with her foul mouth and temperamental attitude, he was still so very attracted to the idea of their marrying, but then, that may have been his darker side lusting after her.

That beast within him had continued to make it known to Nightwolf just what it wanted to do with the woman and how it wanted to do it too, provided unnecessarily vivid details and images at the worst of times. Like this morning, for instance. He had made sure to give her some garments that were sure to cover every inch of her body in order to ward off those dirty thoughts he kept getting, but if his eyes did not deceive him, his efforts had been in vain, for coming towards him now was a _very _exposed former Tarkatan.

All of his warriors-being healthy young men-stopped in their work to ogle her as she made her way closer and closer still. Every step she took was purposeful and drew attention to her long, slender legs, and after he'd taken them in he couldn't ignore the rest of her body. Her swaying hips and toned midriff nearly did him in, but he clenched his jaw and closed his eyes tightly, trying to will away the unruly beast panting in his head.

_She's almost here, _Nightwolf panicked, looking around him for an exit. They were in the northern edge of the village with the woods in front of them and the entire community in back. The huts they were working on weren't nearly finished so he couldn't just leave.

_Of course I can,_ Nightwolf thought, he _was _the chief. No, he had a duty to fulfill, so who was he to let a scantily clad woman keep him from it.

"Back to work!" he barked at his men, who reluctantly tore their gazes away from the ever approaching woman.

His heart was still pounding even after he'd turned back to the half-finished hut.

Then, as if out of nowhere, Tvari came shuffling past Mileena with his unnatural speed. He came at his chief boldly.

"Nightwolf, if I can trouble you for-" he started.

"Not now, Tvari, I need you to get her out of here" Nightwolf hissed at his confidant. _Her _was standing only a few feet away now. Thankfully she'd halted in her advance.

Tvari turned with a befuddled frown. "Get who out of-" the immortal's ruby eye's widened as he took in a breath at the woman he hadn't noticed before in his rush. An awed whisper fell from his wide lips. "_Damn..." _he murmured.

"Just take her away" Nightwolf once again entreated. This time a primal anger had been tapped upon at the other male's soft exclamation.

Tvari nodded his blonde head. "Yes sir." he replied, shaking his head.

* * *

So I came to talk to Nightwolf about where I could find some needle and thread but that blonde prick beat me to it. The same blonde prick who kept giving me dirty looks yesterday. I saw him and Nightwolf exchange a few words before he looked at me and gaped. With his wide pale lips and even wider red eyes, he looked like a fish out of water. I laughed.

Next thing I knew, though, Fishy was hurrying towards me. I only cried out when he grabbed my arm. He looked upset.

"What do you think you're doing? Let me go!" I shrieked, but he only dragged me along further into the village and far away from the working men, Nightwolf included.

I jerked hard and cursed that damn Quan Chi because of how weak I was. It was either that or his immortality came with brute strength.

The blonde only let go when we were miles away from where we started, on the outer edge of the territory. All that was ahead was a long cabin and a large clearing. I rounded on the guy.

"What the hell was that about? Why'd you bring me out here? You lookin for a _fight_?" I snapped, because I'm pretty sure I couldn't say death wish and get away with it, not while I'm in this body.

The guy just stood there with his arms crossed and a deep frown on his face. After a heavy glare he began to circle me.

"Please, as if a mortal woman could be any kind of challenge to me. I'm not the general for nothing" he sneered.

"Whatever," I rolled my eyes, "You gonna' tell me why you dragged my ass all the way out here or what?"

"Such a pity. Your beauty is constantly negated by that vile tongue" he said behind my back, leaning in but not laying a hand on me.

I wasn't expecting him to say something like that; those words were often meant for my sister. Except for the vile tongue part. That was all me.

"You got a problem with me?" I asked softly, turning slowly to follow his every move as he continued to circle me.

He didn't answer, just kept his arms folded and sauntered around me. His long, dirty colored hair slinked over his shoulders, one of which held a dark tattoo. Like the other working men, he had no shirt on but he did have a leather strap across his back and diagonal down to his waist where it hooked onto his belt loop. His pants were black and rolled up while his feet were bare. Not pale but bronze was the color of his skin and his alert red eyes never strayed from my face. Displeasure was present in his taut features.

"You do not seem to have an ounce of respect," he finally spoke, "not for the chief, and apparently not for yourself either."

I narrowed my eyes. "What do you mean?"

"Any self-respecting woman would have the decency not to put her body on display for all the village to see." he explained impatiently. "You bring shame upon the chief as well as upon yourself."

I scoffed. "Whatever. I'll wear what I want" I declared. "Besides, you know you like what you see." I added coyly.

The man stopped stiffly. "Are those the chief's garments?" he sounded disturbed.

I shrugged. "What's left of them, yeah" I answered.

"You ungrateful little chit, how dare you mutilate the chief's property!" he roared. "Did he not provide you with suitable clothing?"

"Yeah, suitable for a hike in the north pole. I would have passed out in that stuffy shit he gave me" I griped.

"He has been generous to you, an enemy, and this is how you repay him?" he yelled, getting into an offensive stance, "You need to be taught a lesson in humility, wench!" he cried.

I smirked and readied myself for his oncoming attack. "Come at me, you prick!" I jeered. I might not stand a chance, but at least I'll get some excitement.

_As mad as this guy was, though, he __might __just kill me. _

* * *

**A/N: You'll find out later why Tvari gets so riled up when someone disrespects Nightwolf, I promise. And as for Mileena, well, she's still got that seductress thing going on, though it isn't as extreme as it was before. Stay tuned for more! And please review while I go play more MKT, er, work on the plot...hehe :D**

**~DymondGold~**


	6. Bruised

**A/N: Here's the next installment, thanks for reading and leaving kind reviews!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything MK-related, that belongs to Boon and Tobias and Co. I do own Tvari, though**

* * *

**Chapter Six**

* * *

So apparently this prick had a short fuse and I had just set it off, now I had to work my ass off dodging the kicks and punches that rained down on me like quicksilver. If I had been in my normal, enhanced body I could have not only blocked most of his hits, but thrown them back at him twice as hard. Now I could only do what seemed to work for me best in this situation.

Run like hell.

I didn't care where I was going, but I was vaguely aware that I was headed in the direction opposite the village with the prick right on my heels.

I was glad to find, however, that I was just a fast as I always was and in that area I had an advantage.

Tossing my head back behind me I cackled, "Catch me if you can, bitch!"

There was something to be said about gloating in the middle of a battle, but now was not the time to think about what that was, not when I was lying on my back seeing stars because I had run head-first into a fucking _tree. _

_What happened to my keen instincts? I should have been able to detect...oh yeah. That damn Paste-Face, I swear! _

I was unprepared for the sharp kick to my ribs, and I screamed and curled up defensively. When I saw the prick's foot poised for another hit I shrieked.

"No don't!" I panted desperately. He still shattered my spine with his iron appendage anyway, and I sucked in a breath through clenched teeth.

"General?" someone else asked.

I was still trembling on my side so I couldn't see who it was. Whoever interrupted, I was glad they did. I had to begrudgingly admit that if they hadn't, I would be in pretty bad shape.

I rolled onto my stomach and leaned up on shaky arms. It wasn't long before I fell back onto my face. This time, though, I couldn't move.

"What is it?" Tvari barked. His voice was free of any sign of exhaustion.

"The chief wants to see you" the young male voice answered.

"Very well," Tvari replied, "Take this woman to Imala the healer and be quick about it. Tell no one what you have witnessed." he ordered.

"Yes sir." The young man said dutifully.

I heard a pair of footsteps near my head and then I was pulled onto my back painfully. Naturally I cried out.

"Aiee! What are you trying to do, kill me?" I yelled irately.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" the young man apologized. My eyes were still shut as he removed his hands from my arms.

"Just take me to your healer already, kid!" I seethed over the pain.

"Right" the boy sounded like a teenager at most. He also sounded pretty nervous. "Um, I need to carry you"

"Just do it" I griped. When he swept me up from under my knees and below my shoulders I screamed again.

"No no, keep going" I urged the boy, and he took off.

I could tell that this kid meant well, but the way he held me tightly against his chest made me feel like I was in a car compactor. Luckily, with this boy's quick feet, we ducked inside a hut soon enough.

The old woman that must have been Imala immediately set to work on me, ignoring the little boy huddled in the corner. _Fine with me, so long as I can get out of here quicker. _

She instructed the boy to set me down on the mat next to the little child and then she forced me to lie on my smarting back. I resisted, much to the woman's, and my back's, distress.

"Down, you go _down_" the woman insisted, and with a heavy scowl I did so.

"It's not so bad" the familiar voice of the teenage soldier who'd carried me piped up. I turned and for the first time saw his face; it was a devastatingly innocent one.

Amber eyes were set in a slightly-round and young face above a pair of soft lips that held a wide, reassuring smile. I grimaced. This boy's definitely the kind I could see growing on me.

"What are you doing?" I cried when I felt the woman tearing at my vest, or Nightwolf's vest.

"I'll just, uh, go now." the boy said, and I'm sure if his cherry-brown skin were a few shades lighter, he'd be blushing like mad.

"What's the matter, kid? Don't like what you see?" I teased in a croaky voice. I couldn't laugh for my hurting ribs.

"You hush now" the old wizened woman shushed, but I could see a twitch in the corner of her own mouth.

I let the lady clean my chest and stomach and apply some kind of creams to them before wrapping them snugly in bandages. The white strips covered my chest and looped around my neck so that my back was exposed, and came diagonally down to cover my hip. She left my shorts as they were, which was as intact as altered clothing could get.

"Eat" she ordered, thrusting something small and circular, about the size of my fingernail, into my palm. I chewed it and made a face.

"This is bitter as hell" I commented. She didn't remark, but placed something else in front of me to ingest. It was sweeter than the other thing, and it helped get rid of the nasty taste in my mouth.

"Drink" she commanded and handed me a small wooden cup. I downed the tolerable syrup quickly and wiped the corners of my mouth with my thumb and forefinger. The woman gave me some salve to put daily on the bruises on my back, hip, and the mysterious one on my inner thigh. _Where did that come from?_

I was feeling much better already but could still use a nap, so when she threw a blanket over me, I didn't have to be told what to do.

* * *

Nightwolf stood over the temporary graves of the men he'd had charge over not even an hour ago and sighed. It was a surprise raid on his village this morning, so it wasn't his fault they'd been killed, but when the people needed someone to blame they didn't take that into great consideration.

It was a laborious effort to pull himself up from his kneeling position in the clearing where the worst of the battle had taken place before the enemies had been vanquished, but he managed to gather the strength and rise. The Tarkatans were weak and defeated, and all but their leader perished, Nightwolf himself had made sure of that; it turns out that beast within him was good for something after all.

It didn't take him long to reach the middle of the village where he ran into his general. The tall blonde seemed especially edgy, and when he caught sight of his chief he only got worse.

"Something wrong, Tvari?" Nightwolf solicited, but the general shook his head. "Where is Mileena?" the shaman then asked.

"She is...in the village still." Tvari answered vaguely.

Nightwolf built a steady pace beside him. "Where?"

Tvari faltered. "With the healer...she is injured."

"I see. We'll speak more about that later. Right now, there is something I need you to do." Nightwolf dismissed.

Tvari was all to eager to change the subject, but was then dismayed to find it had remained on the woman.

"I need you to protect Mileena. Guard her at all times, and if she protests-"

"You _know _she will" Tvari muttered.

"Then come to me, and I will work with her." Nightwolf instructed.

"Why does she need protection all of a sudden?" Tvari wondered.

Nightwolf sighed again. "There is someone hunting her."

"That's really not anything to concern yourself with, sir" Tvari stated.

Nightwolf eyed his subordinated sternly, "She is my intended, what concerns her does me as well."

Tvari quieted once he realized his chief wouldn't be dissuaded. They walked silently to his hut.

"Is there not someone more suited to this..._duty?_" Tvari said with a frown, as though he would rather say something more appropriate, like 'chore'.

"None better suited for it than you. You are a diligent and strong general" Nightwolf pointed out.

Tvari shifted irkedly. "Do you think that it is worth going to all this trouble if she's only going to get what she wants and leaves after a month?" He asked bitterly.

Nightwolf looked away thoughtfully, "We do not know if that is what she'll choose."

Tvari snorted lightly. "She has nothing here, no reason to stay"

Nightwolf nodded morosely. "That is unfortunately true," he admitted.

Though the shaman didn't want to see the woman leave in such an abrupt, selfish manner, he did see that the general's words were true. Mileena was in a strange land with no kin and nothing to tie her down. Of course she would leave after she got what she wanted from their deal. He would truly hate to see her go, and so would his inner beast. It procured images of her earlier state of under-dress with great longing. Nightwolf groaned. He had already seen and re-seen those mental reminders of how the woman looked this morning, courtesy of that dark entity. The thoughts brought him back to his general's well-timed interruption.

"What were you trying to tell me this morning, Tvari?" Nightwolf asked suddenly.

Tvari guiltily away, "I was going to tell you that I had seen some Tarkatans advancing upon the village."

Nightwolf's expression dampered, "They tried, and failed, to raid my people. They never even set their clawed feet on the village before they were destroyed. It was at the price of eight warriors, however."

"Where were you when this happened? We could have used your speed and endurance" Nightwolf remarked.

Tvari couldn't meet the man's eyes, opting to cast his own ruby ones downward, "I was preoccupied with the woman."

Nightwolf's understanding smile made him feel worse.

"She is probably a handful," he said.

He thought to himself, _I say 'probably' because I haven't spent enough time with her to know for sure. _He knew, or at least in his opinion he thought, that he had a good reason for staying away from her. It was either that or fall prey to his beast's demands that he do unsavory things to her.

* * *

_This is why I hate kids_, I thought groggily as the little boy from earlier shook me roughly awake.

"_WHAT?_" I bellowed, jack-knifing up to sitting position and glaring at the little bastard.

"The soldier came to get you" he said, clearly unfazed.

He had his head tilted, though, and his chin-length pin-straight black hair covered his left eye, the one that held a dark bruise. His index finger was pointing to the open flap of the tent where the sweet-faced soldier was waiting for me.

"Oh," was all I said, giving the kid a strange glance for not shivering in fear.

_What's to fear about a PMS-ing human wench? _the voice sneered.

Good point.

I almost forgot about that 'human' thing, it meant I didn't have claws and fangs and the works to scare the shit out of people anymore.

I exited the tent and heard the child calling out to me.

"Bye, pretty lady!" he said, and I smirked.

Maybe he wasn't such a little bastard after all.

I was shocked and disgusted to find that the prick was just on the other side of the soldier, waiting for me to limp out of the hut. It was like seeing an angel next to a devil.

"What, did you come to finish me off?" I jeered to hide my growing panic.

Tvari cringed but didn't reply, at least not to me. "You may return to your station" he told the soldier, who left with a cautious and genuinely concerned smile in my direction.

"What do you want?" I asked rudely and with my arms crossed.

Tvari stepped next to me. "By the chief Nightwolf's orders, I am to be with you at all times, as your guard." he explained stiffly.

"Well that's kind of ironic now isn't it?" I snapped with a huffing laugh.

"I will escort you to his quarters." Tvari said in a controlled voice.

I rolled my eyes and stood my ground. "I'm not going anywhere with you, I don't care if Night-Light himself did say so."

Tvari advanced on me. "Then I will have to use force" he said simply.

I swallowed down a knot of fear. "What, are you gonna' kick me like a fucking dog again?" I retorted.

The immortal paled and pulled back. So I hit a nerve.

"Have you told the chief about that? Huh? Well, did you?"He went silent on me and I scoffed. "You really are a prick"

"I bet he won't be too happy if I were to let him know what you did to his future wife" I smirked.

Tvari's eyes blazed, "You know you won't be marrying him, you have your heart set on your own selfish aspirations" he accused.

"True. But old Night-Light doesn't know that, or if he does he's still holding on to the hope that I'll change my mind" I guessed.

"So like I said, I bet he won't be too happy if he finds out what happened." I taunted.

"You provoked me" Tvari ground out.

"Yeah? And you nearly broke my damn back!" I yelled at him. That seemed to shut him up.

"So here's what I'll do. I won't tell Night-Light what happened if you agree to...do me one favor. When I ask, which could be at any time between now and a month, you have to do it, no ifs ands, or buts: got it?" I bargained.

Tvari was skeptically unresponsive.

"Or I could just exaggerate the incident. I mean, even if I lied my ass off that shaman would probably believe me 'cause in this situation, bruises speak louder than your words ever could." I reasoned.

Tvari nodded stolidly. "Fine." he murmured, and I grinned.

"Great! So we'll just keep this between you and me and I'll let you know when I want that favor." I smirked.

Tvari nodded again glumly just as we reached the chief's hut.

Nightwolf was standing at the door and when he saw me his eyes flickered a different color.

"What happened to you?" he asked in a voice sort of deeper than his own.

I sashayed up to him sweetly and put on a sultry half-smile. "Well you see, I got in a fight with a really aggressive tree and guess who won?"

Nightwolf's eyes returned to normal but looked everywhere but at me, "Did you hit your head?" he asked, a tad bit worriedly.

"Something like that," I laughed, and threw a wink over to the prick. Tvari looked ready to run but I would have my fun.

"Well you are obviously still not well, so you ought to rest." the shaman advised, his eyes still avoiding me.

I walked past him into the hut. "Right. I'll do that then."

I heard them begin to talk as I headed to the back room, but I was too tired to listen in. Time to catch up on the sleep that a little brat had robbed me of earlier.

* * *

Nightwolf stood outside the door yet again with his most trusted ally, trying to clear his head. The _woman_, with so much more of her body exposed, had stirred the passionate beast inside him and this time it was harder to get it to quiet down.

It was first roused when the shaman saw the state of the former Tarkatan, all bruised and bandaged. It cried for blood and the severed head of whoever had done this horrible damage to its betrothed. Nightwolf didn't know why the normally violent beast, whose thoughts usually revolved around killing, was so infatuated with Mileena. Obsessed with Mileena. Desirous towards Mileena. It was really getting harder to deal with the monster inside him.

"Tvari, what happened to Mileena?" Nightwolf asked solemnly.

He didn't miss the way his confidante tensed up.

"She was running in the woods," he said slowly, "and she ran into a tree. Hard." Tvari replied.

"Why was she running in the woods?" Nightwolf asked, his voice deceptively calm.

Tvari answered carefully, "I was chasing her, sir."

"And why were you chasing her?" Nightwolf asked patiently.

"She provoked me into ire, sir. I lost control and gave chase." Tvari admitted.

"That is all?" Nightwolf asked.

"...Yes sir." Tvari replied. Nightwolf grabbed the younger man by the arms and turned him to face him.

"Look me in the eyes Tvari and tell me: did you lay your hands on her?" Nightwolf asked in a low gruff voice that was not his own. His eyes had switched again.

Tvari gulped, and heard his heart thumping wildly for a moment. Looking directly into his chief, his longtime friend's changed eyes, he answered resignedly.

"...No sir."

* * *

**A/N: Okay, that was kind of good, right? I want to let you know that I made Mileena a pottymouth and bad attitude-person for a reason: it makes sense later on, so if anyone has a problem with all the swearing, I'm sorry. Leave a review and tell me what you think so far, and stay tuned! **

**!PS! There will be some...adult material in the next chapter, so be warned! (Nothing _too _bad, but I'll leave another warning just in case)**

**~DymondGold~**


	7. Touched

**A/N: So yeah, this is the chapter that I warned you would have semi-adult content. Be warned, and read at your own risk (It's really not that bad). **

**Disclaimer: I don't own MK-related anything, that belongs to Ed and John, Boon and Tobias respectively. I thank them for the inspiration and use their characters at my own discretion :)**

**Enjoy**

* * *

**Chapter Seven**

* * *

I guess going two weeks without an issue from my bruised back or hip called for some kind of screw up, right? I mean, things just can't go _too _well for me. I blame all the bad karma I put out during my time as a 'baddie'; being a villain was finally catching up to me. I wish it would've chosen a more opportune time to make me suffer, though, because now was not it. I was just getting out of the tub after a relaxing bath and wanted to just get dressed and go to bed. Not possible, not with this sudden stinging pain in all three of my old bruises.

I wrapped the plain thin towel around me tighter and cursed my decision to stay so long in the tub. It had to be about midnight now, and I'm sure I'd fallen asleep but was woken up by this radiating pain.

Nightwolf was home tonight, for once. He had recently taken to spending more and more time 'working' until he just never even came home at the end of the day, but today was different. In the middle of my hot bath I'd heard the shaman come in, but I think he was asleep by now. I sure hope he was, it would be just embarrassing if he found me like this: in a towel, trying to limp one baby-step at a time back down the hall to my room. Normally I thought this hall was a short one, but tonight it looked endless.

I stopped and leaned against the wall, feeling quite stuck. The pain in my hip was preventing me from going any further at the moment, and I once again wondered why this was happening now? I used the cream up until a few days ago, because I started feeling better and didn't need it anymore, and now this happened.

I don't get it.

I tried to take a few more steps and ended up slipping and falling; on my butt, thank goodness. The frightened yell I let loose gave way to a familiar set of heavy footsteps; I'd waken the shaman.

Great.

I scrambled to my feet with a pained grimace and wrapped the towel even tighter around me, unwittingly hiking it up a couple inches in the process. Now here's the thing, flirting and flaunting is all good in the daytime, but at night when I'm trying to get to sleep, it's only a hindrance.

I tried to flatten myself against the wall when I saw Night-Light's outline coming towards me from the den, where he'd been sleeping. At least I think he had been sleeping because I'm starting to doubt he could have been doing that fully clothed in an open black vest and those tight dark blue pants. He even had on his brown fur boots, I saw as he got closer.

Too much closer.

"Mileena? I heard you cry out, are you alright?" he asked in the darkness.

I thought about asking for help to my room and immediately remembered that he seemed to be purposely avoiding me as of late. Then I thought, you know what, what the hell, it was social awkwardness or sleep and guess which one I chose?

"No, I'm not alright. Could you, um, help me to my room? I can't move my leg without it hurting like hell." I winced. Nightwolf did the same once he heard the expletive leave my mouth, but he agreed nonetheless.

"Put your arm over my shoulder" he instructed, and I nodded and was about to do the same when I remembered I had on an unreliable towel and nothing else.

"Um, I can't do that" I mumbled.

Nightwolf seemed puzzled, but when he looked me over he understood. He also looked like he wanted to escape, and fast.

"Could you, uh, please c-carry me?" I stammered a little. Nightwolf nodded, but too quickly to be entirely comfortable with the idea.

_He must be disgusted with you, that's why he's been avoiding you and now cringes at the thought of having to even touch you like this, _the voice reasoned.

I froze, because it made so much sense. That must be why he's acting the way he is. He never looked to be too glad of the whole 'marriage and betrothal' situation from the start, so it only makes more sense that he wouldn't particularly enjoy _this, _whatever this was. The reality of the situation affected me more than I would have liked, and it was now my eyes that stung along with my bruises.

"My eyes miss nothing; Mileena, why are you crying?" Nightwolf asked softly.

I figured his concern was as false as these tears, because I didn't, _couldn't _really cry, right?

"Nothing" I spat harshly. I wiped the tears away just as callously and turned away from him.

"What is it?" he pressed, and I let him have it.

"You don't have to act like...like you fucking _care,_ okay? I know you don't...I know I _disgust _you, but you don't have to act like I don't just 'cause you think I...I..."

I couldn't even finish what I was saying for that lump that came back into my throat, just like when I was with Blondie and Friends out in the wilderness, only days after my transformation. It hurt to know that all the progress I'd made thus far had been undone in one night, with one revelation that deep down I had suspicions of being true. So what he was repulsed by me? So many other people were, have been ever since I was bor-created, I mean.

"AH!" I shrieked when I felt my feet go out from under me. I wasn't falling backwards, at least not on my own; Nightwolf had scooped me up and held me next to his chest. His voice was barely more than a growl when he spoke next to my ear.

"_You, Mileena, are far from disgusting to me. You are mine." _his voice rose an octave back to normal level when he added, "You are my intended, not just because the spirits chose you, but because_ I want you,_ and I do care about you."

"Wh-what?" my lips were still trembling a bit.

Nightwolf didn't say anything more, just carried me slowly back into the room and laid me gently on the pallet. He stood and looked around the room.

"Where is the salve the healer gave you? Did you run out?" Nightwolf asked.

"N-no I stopped taking it" I told him.

Severely he admonished, "You should not have done that"

Great, the regular old Night-Light was back. Now him I could handle, not that growling, possessive version.

"It's in the dresser, second drawer" I answered while rolling my eyes and adjusting my towel.

The situation just got a lot more normal when I heard him muttering about how I've tarnished his good clothing. True, I did alter most of his clothes to fit me, but that's only because he never gave me anything good to wear. He came back over to me with the jar of salve in his hand and I reached mine out to take it.

"I will do it" he said firmly.

I tensed. "You really don't have to. I got it."

Nightwolf shook his head, "This will prove to you that I am not in the least bit disgusted by you, or your body."

I cursed myself for letting my anger get the best of me. "No, you don't have to do that. I can do it myself" I insisted, but the shaman wanted to be difficult.

He leveled me with a hard stare "I will do it" he repeated.

"No, I don't want you to, just give me the damn jar!" I was getting upset.

"Mind the way you speak" he warned.

"I'll speak my mind" I countered.

Nightwolf sighed and began unscrewing the lid of the jar. "Such vulgar language." he murmured disapprovingly.

"You're really gonna' do this?" I asked incredulously.

"Turn around" he answered. A staring match ensued.

I reluctantly adjusted my towel so that the ends met behind me and the sides were firmly tucked underneath my arms.

"Just don't get frisky" I snapped. I shivered when I felt him open the back of the towel bit by bit, careful to leave my derriere concealed.

I arched my back in as soon as the cool salve touched the largest of the the three bruises and hissed out in pain.

"I'm sorry" Nightwolf murmured.

His warm fingers rubbed soothingly over the mark and only then did my spine relax. He kept rubbing circles over it until his other hand decided to get in the action by sliding up the side of my waist, towards my shoulders. His hands smoothed over my blades and went down like silk all the way to my...

"Ahem" I coughed loudly. _So the shaman really can get frisky...who knew? _

Nightwolf didn't apologize for that, only moved his hands back around my waist and, after dipping his fingers in the salve again, over my hip. The debilitating pain passed under his constant ministration.

I was a little surprised when those fingers that rubbed like magic over my sore bruise decided to hook around my waist and pull me backwards. I wanted to protest, but I wanted to see where he was going with this.

"Nightwolf" I hesitated. "What are you doing?"

I knew what he was doing, all right, he was steadily bringing me into his lap. But I didn't know why he was doing it? Was this part of his 'I'm going to show you that you don't disgust me' thing? If so, I've had enough.

"Nightwolf" I said a little more firmly.

The shaman was going overboard now. I was not only way too close to him, but I could feel his breath on the back of my neck. It wasn't a bad feeling. Wait yes it was. Was it?

I abruptly turned around and stood away from the pallet and the shaman as well with my towel once again adjusted and my arms folded across my chest. With those different colored eyes Nightwolf stood too.

"What are you doing?" I confronted.

It took him a while to answer, and when he did, he had this weird look in his eyes. He point at my leg and asked,

"What is that?"

I looked down and nearly fell out. It was that bruise on my thigh. Of course he would notice that.

"It's nothing." I muttered darkly.

"It's a bruise," he concurred, "Come let me put some sal-"

"No!" I shouted, "I think you've done enough actually."

Nightwolf was not to be gainsaid. He strode purposefully towards me and I backed away, right into a wall. I turned and ducked rapidly under his arm only to trip over and land on the pallet, back where I started. Before I could get up the shaman had me pinned beneath him, his body hovering over mine.

His vest was wide open and didn't hide much of his toned torso and arms. He might have been a little leaner than some men I've fought, but he made up for it in definition. Each part of his body was taut and rigid. His dark eyes were eating me up, and I watched his lips twist into an even darker grin for a split second. Even in the dim firelight of the room his oaky skin glowed and glistened.

He reached for one of the ends of the towel that was bunched up in my hands and I froze up, afraid for once of what he might do. He stroked the bruise on my thigh delicately, and instead of rubbing it like the others, he gave me a devilish smirk and lowered his mouth onto it.

There was a fire in my mind, a hectic explosive burning in my brain when his hot tongue scraped over my flesh like wet sandpaper and I'm sure I made some kind of noise but right now, with my heart crashing against my chest and beating furiously in a puddle of nervous acid, I couldn't be sure.

Whatever noise I made, Nightwolf must have liked because he shot another one of those dirty smirks my way before raising his head and dipping it diagonally next to mine. Another mini-heart attacked followed the short, trailing kisses he laid down my jaw and across my neck. He stopped when he got to the top of my chest and let his lips linger just above my own.

I was panting, sweating, and dying for him to do it, to just kiss me. I wanted to know what it felt like, to be touched like that. To be wanted like that.

Nightwolf was still kneeling above me and his hair, it was so long, had formed a curtain around my face. He didn't move, though, and I didn't want to prompt him, but I _had _to know what it felt like.

"Nightwolf" I breathed, afraid to speak above a whisper. He didn't answer me verbally, but gave me what I wanted.

It was a feathery sort of kiss, experimental and still so sensual. Nightwolf kept his eyes on me, but I closed mine and didn't move. I don't think I even could. My unresponsiveness didn't deter him. His lips pressed hard against mine before I could feel the jagged edges of his teeth closing around my bottom one, letting it slip out from between them deliberately.

It was my first kiss, and it had to end.

Abruptly it did, as soon as I felt something hard grind painfully between my legs. I cried out as my hip was crushed under his weight and when he heard me he leaned back onto his haunches with a 'snapped out of it' kind of look.

He looked me up and down, looked at the awkward part he'd forced to my now-open legs, and then looked away. His eyes were normal now, so I figured he was back to himself.

Without a word he got up fluidly and left; not just the room, the house entirely.

I don't know what he was doing to me, or what these feelings...sensations are that he's inspired within me, but I don't like them. I do like _them_, but I don't like this..._need_, this physical ache he left behind.

The mental one hurt just as bad.

* * *

**A/N: Yeah, it's short, but it was quick! I was very unsure of how to do this, so I hope it came out right. Leave a review please and tell me what you think, and don't worry, it gets better. **

**~DymondGold~**


	8. Courted

**A/N: Thank you for sticking with this story, I hope you enjoy the next installment. Again, I apologize for the wait. I just started college and I've only gotten lazier. Bear with me, please, I promise I'm not giving up on this. I've already started thinking of a sequel(that comes a little later though).**

**And thanks for the reviews! I was starting to think nobody was reading this story anymore but was pleasantly proven wrong, so thanks!**

**Disclaimer: I still don't own anything MK-related. That belongs to Boon and Tobias and Friends. I still own Tvari.**

* * *

**Chapter Eight**

* * *

Crudely speaking, he had screwed up. Not literally, of course; he hadn't gotten that far. Or should he say _his beast _hadn't gotten that far. That iron fist he'd kept it knuckled under had finally splayed open and he'd let the thing slip through his defenses. And it had certainly had its way. Almost. Nightwolf shuddered at the thought of what might have happened had he not forced that havoc-wreaking monster back into the confines of his mind. **  
**

_I should never have gone in that room, _the shaman thought grimly. There were a lot of things he realized he should not have done last night. He had felt the bonds over the entity were beginning to weaken the moment he had seen her fallen in the hall and clinging to an inadequate linen towel. That did nothing to shield her lithe, wet form from his keen eyes, enhanced as they were. He had nearly forgotten how enticing his betrothed was in all his time spent working.

_Not that he was really working. _

Nightwolf had come to the conclusion that his inner problem was beginning to become more than he could handle, so he had gone to the only source he knew could help him.

"You know why I have come here," he spoke from his relaxed position on the forest floor. Both toned legs were folded with his arms crossed and his eyes closed. His head remained tilted towards the sky as the presence of the spirits enveloped him.

_We do, _they answered as one.

"What must I do about this lingering malevolent entity within myself? It's starting to...get out of hand." Nightwolf said quietly.

_There is nothing you can do. It is a part of you, have we not told you before? Consider it another facet of your complex personality, _they told him.

That wasn't what he wanted to hear. He didn't want to live with this _thing _forever, it was a nuisance. And speaking of which, that was what Tvari had devolved into as of late. He was not to be found when Nightwolf needed him, and when the general was around, he was a skittering mess of nerves. It wasn't like Tvari to be so tense, it was a little suspicious.

_We wish to address something with you, most beloved one, _the spirits swished gently around him as a windy breeze. _How goes your relationship with your betrothed? _

_They just had to ask about that, _Nightwolf thought bitterly.

"It...does not seem as if marriage is to be an outcome." Nightwolf answered evasively.

_And do you know why that is? _

"I believe it is because she desires revenge above all else, and won't let anything hold her back from it." Nightwolf murmured back.

_That may be so, _the spirits began, _but you have the power to make her stay, to give her another option besides the one she so avidly seeks. _

_"_You give me too much credit," Nightwolf remarked dryly. He didn't believe he could do that.

_Tell us, most beloved one, how have you been contributing to the relationship? Have you been putting forth the effort to ensure its growth and eventual development? _

The answer was a guilty, "Not exactly."

_You haven't been showing her what it is to be courted and cared for, have you? All you've been doing is running away. How do you think that's made her feel?_

Nightwolf hadn't taken that much into consideration, and it pained him to admit it. He had been so caught up in trying not to let his beast take control and hurt her that he'd been flat-out avoiding her. She was probably really hurt about that. When's the last time he even saw her before last night? A week, two maybe? That's nearly half his time with her already wasted.

"It's too late to change her mind." Nightwolf muttered woefully. He had failed, or so he thought.

_There is still time, _the spirits insisted, _You can still put the situation to rights. _

_"_How?" Nightwolf eagerly asked. If there was a way he could get through to Mileena, he was all ears.

_Court her, be a lover towards her and she'll come to you, _they assured.

"I am not...I'm not much of a court-er, you know this." Nightwolf mumbled.

He bowed his head low and remembered all the times he'd been scorned as a young adolescent by countless girls. He'd always been the 'nice guy', and that's not typically what girls, women, go for. It didn't help that his once brawny physique had been chiseled down to a more lean, almost lanky build after all the mental trauma he went through with Kahn's possession.

_Do your best, beloved, that is all we ask of you. You cannot hold onto past transgressions that weren't entirely in your control. You are a loyal warrior and have served us well. _

And with that, their presence was felt no more, leaving the chief alone in the woods. It was chilly and dawn was approaching. Nightwolf stood and thought of a million reasons why this wouldn't work. He was no good at romance, for one. He would need some help, and he had an idea of who to go to.

But as he lately often was, Tvari was nowhere to be found. Going to talk to Mileena would probably be best, he needed to apologize for his recent behavior, especially his _very _recent behavior. He cringed at the thought.

* * *

As if I didn't have a shitty enough night I had to wake up with blood all over my shorts and my stomach knotting up. Once I saw it in the seat of my pants in the bathroom I kind of panicked and ran back to the room to make sure there wasn't any blood on the pallet. There wasn't.

Still daunted I sauntered crookedly back to the bathroom, grabbing some more of Nightwolf's altered clothes to change into. I couldn't find any bandages, but it's not like I would've known where to put them. I had no fucking idea where all this blood was coming from. It was seriously pissing me off. Or maybe the knots in my stomach was doing that, or it could even be this stupid headache. I closed the bathroom door and pulled off all my clothes, marveling at the warm red blood that came sliding down my thighs.

_Well at least now I know where it's coming from. _

But I didn't get cut down there or anything, so why is it bleeding? I thought back to last night and sucked in a breath of air, squeezing both my legs together: that shaman! He did this to me, he had to have done this! I remember last night when he started getting all freaky-deeky he _grinded_ on me so hard and hurt my hip. Well my hip was fine now, but obviously he must've broke something _down_ _there _and made me bleed.

Bastard.

I got dressed in his clothes and ran one of his combs through my hair. I'm pretty sure my hair had a permanent wave to it now, it wasn't straight like it used to be. I washed my face and brushed my teeth and tucked my feet into the brown moccasins Nighty gave me. I left the hut and slammed the door behind me. I was just so damn irritated. I stomped through the village for a while until this pain became too much for me to bear and I actually started to care where I was going. It looked like I was in the dead-center of things. I spotted a familiar, but mostly unwelcome, face in the bustling crowd.

The prick.

He wasn't alone either, he had a whole garrison of troops trailing behind him in some kind of dull parade. Now seemed as good a time as any to go make his day worse like I've been doing the last two weeks but I didn't have time to waste. I strode up to him still twisting my legs agitatedly and tried to keep up. Normally I'd do something silly, like march mockingly alongside him but like I said, I didn't have time for that.

"Hey! Pri-General!" I yelled, huffing and holding my waist. Okay, this really hurts, and it's not my stomach like I thought. It was a rumbling pain that was coming from a little lower down. It felt like my body was short-circuiting down there, like every five seconds.

The general winced and looked behind him where I was. I only called him that because he insisted I do so, he wouldn't let me call him Tvari and definitely didn't want to be called 'prick'.

"What do you want, woman? Isn't it a little early for your shenanigans?" The general sneered.

When I finally caught up to him I was panting heavily; he didn't even try to slow down.

"I'm not running games this time, I need some help." I breathed.

Tvari kept marching and rolled his eyes. "Yes, you do, and lots of it." he retorted.

I squeezed the sides of my waist tightly and shut my eyes as the cramping got worse. "I'm not playing, you prick, I've been hurt and it's all Night-Light's fault, so tell me where that healer is!" I demanded.

Most of the soldiers gave me looks and Tvari's was the most hateful. "What are you babbling about?"

"You heard me! I need the healer, so tell me where the hell she is!" I yelled over a mighty terrible bout of cramps. My head was still pounding away.

"Do not raise your voice to me!" Tvari snarled, stopping completely. His red eyes widened as he gave me his famous disdainful once-over, stopping at my waist.

"Yeah, you see?" I scoffed. I didn't have to look down to know that the pants I was wearing was already full of blood again.

Now all the soldiers were looking at me strangely. "The fuck are you gawking at? You never saw blood before?" I screamed at them. They were thoroughly startled.

"What happened to you?" Tvari asked with a disgusted curl to his lips.

"I told you, your _chief_ got all hot and bothered last night and he..._broke _me!" I accused vehemently.

The prick brushed past me and shook his head. "Mad, mad woman." He continued leading his troops without a backwards glance.

Only one of them stayed behind, and now stood apprehensively in front of me with a worried air about him.

I looked up and saw it was the young, sweet-faced kid I'd met a couple of weeks ago after the prick kicked my ass. Figures he'd be the one to help.

The boy gazed at me anxiously and worried his bottom lip. He looked back to where the other soldiers were leaving without him and then back at me. I actually _smiled_.

Damn him.

"I will take you to Imala, come with me." He said decisively at last. He swung his arm around my shoulders and helped me stand up straight.

I noticed he'd changed a little. His hair used to be kind of long but now the jet black strands had been cut short on all sides and a little bit thicker and longer in the middle; he now sported a fading mohawk. He had also gotten a little more toned; it looked like he'd been working out.

"You buffing up on me, kid?" I joked. It was a strain to do so but I refuse to take my frustration out on this boy. I'll just save it for Tvari and Nightwolf.

With a blush and a laugh he answered, "Training has been unusually rigorous lately."

"That's most likely my fault." I admitted. I think I'll stop tormenting the prick, at least for a little while. It was giving me bad karma.

"I don't see how that could be true." the boy said softly.

"What's your name, kid?" I blurted, and he smiled.

"Elan." he responded proudly.

"That's a nice name." I amended, and saw him blush again. You could hardly see it because his skin was such a pretty reddish, almond color but it was definitely there. I chuckled, and then gasped and shut my legs.

"What's wrong?" he asked in genuine concern, but I puckered my lips in between my teeth and shook my head.

"Nothing, let's go." I whispered.

* * *

"Where have you been? I've been searching all over for you" Nightwolf told his general gruffly.

Tvari, for his part, subtly shied away from his upset chief and tried to fall in line amongst his troops. Nightwolf would have none of it, though.

"Come with me, there is something I need to speak to you about." he ordered.

Ruby eyes widened in fear, in horror. Those were the very words he had been dreading to hear. Gulping he asked, "Does it by any chance have anything to do with Mileena?"

"It has everything to do with her." Nightwolf said brusquely.

_I've been found out, _Tvari frantically thought as he fell in step beside the shaman, _he's going to kill me, surely he will. _He walked slowly, as one condemned.

When they finally reached the shaman's hut Nightwolf stopped and faced the blonde with a heavy sigh.

_Here it comes, _Tvari thought mournfully. To think that his long life has come to such an end, because it will end if Nightwolf has anything to do with it: the chief is the only one capable of truly killing the immortal. _Though, _Tvari idly thought, _I figured he would be much angrier. _

_"_Tvari, you are my most trusted friend, my closest companion," Nightwolf started quietly.

"Yes..." the general swallowed thickly, _shouldn't he have said 'were'? _he mused darkly.

"That is why I have come to you now. This is very difficult for me to say," the shaman struggled, pacing back and forth in front of Tvari.

It was working wonders on his nerves, and not in the good way.

At last Nightwolf said, "I need your advice on courting Mileena."

Talk about shock and awe. Tvari visibly relaxed and even puffed out a short laugh. "That is all?"

"What were you expecting?" Nightwolf asked, smiling curiously himself.

Tvari ran a hand through his long dark hair. _You don't want to know, trust me, _he thought.

"It is of no consequence," Tvari dismissed, "Why do you want to court Mileena? It is only two weeks away from the end of the month, she'll be gone then." he said critically.

Nightwolf grimaced, "Never mind that, just tell me how I should go about this."

"I think you're wasting your time, sir." Tvari said harshly.

"The only one wasting time here is you!" Nightwolf growled, his eyes flipping colors but quickly reverting. He gave the general an apologetic smile. "Forgive me."

"Why do you think I'll be able to help? I don't know much about that woman." Tvari griped.

Nightwolf smirked, "Yes, but I've noticed you've been spending an awful lot of time alone with her these days. You must know something," Nightwolf jeered.

Tvari thought back to the day Mileena came to him demanding private training sessions with him and frowned deeply.

* * *

_Flashback_

_Tvari was on his way to the Southern edge, minding his own business and looking for something to do when he heard someone's pounding footsteps behind him. It wasn't that this person was particularly heavy, they just liked to make as much noise as possible to get on his nerves. _

_It was working._

_"What do you want, woman?" he asked, irked as ever. Mileena gave him a cheeky smile and stood in front of him, shifting her weight back and forth. _

_Her hands were clasped behind her back and he grew even more wary. After a moment, she spoke._

_"Whatcha' doing today?" she asked innocently. _

_Tvari glowered at her, "Keeping to myself, like you should do. Go away." he said, swatting at her aggravatedly. _

_She laughed a tinkling, girlish laugh that he couldn't help but find endearing, but most of all sickening. _

_"You shouldn't be so mean to me, general. You wouldn't want old Night-Light finding out about our agreement, would you?" she teased. _

_The general paled, much to her amusement. "Speaking of that, I think I'll have that favor now." _

_With a sigh Tvari sped off in one direction, hoping to lose her. No such luck. _

_"Look, nobody's ever handed my ass to me like you did, so I want what you've got." she stated seriously. _

_Tvari stopped running and scoffed, "I can't, and would never, grant you immortality you mad woman." _

_"I know that!" Mileena shouted, "I don't want to become immortal. That's damn creepy." she shuddered. _

_Looking quite offended Tvari rose a blonde brow, "Then what on earth do you want? Get on with it now." he urged. _

_Hands on hips Mileena smirked, "I want you to give me private lessons so I can do to other people what you did to me. Wait that sounded wrong," she grimaced. _

_"Indeed it did." Tvari bit out. He knew he would have to comply to keep the 'incident' under wraps but he was starting to wonder if he should just tell the chief himself what happened and get this entire dilemma over with._

_End Flashback_

* * *

"Very well, sir. If you truly want my advice, I suggest you leave her alone. I've found the less I say, the more women seem to flock towards me. I sometimes go so far as to give off a menacing aura but it only enthuses them." Tvari stated with a scowl.

That was probably because Tvari was an extremely handsome young man, well in looks at least. He had to be almost a century old by now. That didn't deter many of the females of the village in their quest to get next to the general, much to Tvari's displeasure.

"I've been doing that, inadvertently, and it hasn't been working. I need to try something else." Nightwolf said hastily.

Tvari leaned against the front door with his arms crossed. "Why don't you go old-fashioned?"

"You've been around for nearly a hundred years, define old-fashioned." Nightwolf jested.

Tvari smirked at the jibe and gestured with his hands, "You know, bring her flowers, write her love letters, give her fine jewelry."

"I see," Nightwolf smiled. He had an idea of what to do now, and that inspired him.

"Don't uh, don't be afraid to get personal," Tvari added softly and against his better judgement. He really didn't want to set his chief up for disappointment, and he feared that was the only end of his and Mileena's relationship.

"Personal, right." Nightwolf nodded in a very formal, dutiful way. He acted as if he were treating this like a mission and not a personal issue.

"Thank you Tvari, I knew I coming to you would help." Nightwolf said wholeheartedly.

Tvari smiled and nodded and went on his way. "If you need me, I'll be with the troops at the Southern edge."

Nightwolf nodded as well and went inside his hut. He had a lot of planning to do, and a handful of a woman to woo.

* * *

Just when I thought being human couldn't get any worse, this shit happens. Turns out I'm having what mortal women call a 'period'; I guess that stands for a period of pure hell, 'cause that's what I was going through this morning. When we got to the healer she explained it all to me and gave me what I needed to hold the blood. She gave me some tea and threw me in a hot bath and called it a day. Apparently I'm supposed to ask Nighty for something to staunch the blood and take away the pain, so I sent Elan to go get him. That was this morning, and now it was night-time.

I sat on a pillow, not writhing in pain anymore but still pretty antsy, wearing a plain shift Imala gave me.

"Where the hell is he?" I growled under my breath. My headache was strong and I was getting aggravated all over again.

"Mind your language." A stern voice warned. Nightwolf and Elan came through the flap a few seconds later.

"'Bout fucking time you showed up!" I exclaimed, "Now give me something to make this pain go away." I commanded.

Nightwolf looked taken aback, and poor Elan looked a little scared. "You may return to the Southern edge, Elan." he said lowly, and once the kid was gone he closed in on me.

"What is going on? What happened?" Nightwolf asked, bending down to my level.

I scoffed, "According to the old hag I'm_ menstruating," _I snarled the last part nastily.

"I see." he muttered, "Hold still, this will remove all your pain."

"Don't put your hands on me! Wait, you said it'll remove my pain? Go right ahead." I said and sat back down.

"Wait!" I tensed, "You do remember what happened the last time you started touching me, right?"

With guilt swimming in his dark eyes Nightwolf nodded, "It will not happen again."

"Let's hope not." I snapped. I let him lay both hands on my shoulders and wrap his fingers around my neck. There was a warm tingly sensation and then everything went numb. After a moment, my body went back to normal, well, the way it was before I came onto my, um, cycle.

"There. How do you feel?" Nightwolf asked carefully.

I stood to my bare feet. "Better." I acceded. "Thank you," I added.

"You're very welcome." Nightwolf murmured. He reached down and took my hand, "Let us return to my hut."

I pulled my hand back, "I can't, the hag said I had to stay in here by myself, until my uh, my cycle is done with." I muttered embarrassingly.

Nightwolf lifted my chin with two fingers and stroked his thumb over my cheek, "You will come with me."

I guess it's settled then. I shrugged and let him tentatively enshroud my hand in his large, sweaty one. Somebody's nervous, I thought with a smile.

But why would he be nervous?

_If I had to start living with a volatile monster again, I'd be nervous too. _That critical voice is still here. I don't think I'll ever be able to ditch it. I knew it was trying to mess with me, it was always lying.

Nightwolf himself said he wasn't disgusted by me, and he's the chief, he should know the policy for dealing with a woman on her cycle. And yet, he chose to take me back home. I mean, to his home. I don't have a home, don't want one. Homes only tie you down, and I can't be tied down, I have to go get my revenge against Paste-Face and his gang.

"Ahem," Nightwolf stood in the doorway to the bedroom, holding back the straw partition and giving me an expectant look. He still had my hand in his.

I crossed the room and sat on the thick furry pallet, immediately tucking my feet underneath the many blankets. It was what I always did when I came in here, it was a reflexive habit now.

Surprisingly Nightwolf lumbered across the room and sat down next to me on the makeshift bed. I inched a little away from him.

"Mileena, I'd like to apologize for the way I have been acting in the last two weeks." he said sorrily. I rolled my eyes.

"You mean avoiding me like the plague or getting all touchy-feely last night?" I asked sardonically. I wish I hadn't said it like that, though, he actually looked like he felt bad about it.

"Both," he rumbled softly, "It was the last thing I should've been doing."

"What do you mean by that?" I frowned. Nightwolf rolled his shoulders and bowed his head, looking from straight in front of him to me.

"I told you that you are to be my wife and yet, I have not been showing you what that entails." he explained.

I huffed, "You showed me plenty, it'll be me sitting around with nothing to do while you stay out doing who knows what all damn day, only showing up when you need to handle your business or some freaky shit like that." I spat.

Nightwolf appeared to be chagrined and said, "I have presented you with a false visage of what our future together will be like. Allow me to rectify my mistakes."

I sucked in my bottom lip and let it slide back out, "Is this gonna' change the fact that at the end of the month I'll be healed and set free?"

"If that is what you choose to do, then I won't stop you. Right now, though, I'll do my best to persuade you to stay." he said with a determined shine in his eyes and a charming smile, or half of one.

I narrowed my eyes and bobbed my head, thinking hard. Finally my eyes shot back over to his and I answered, "Do your best, 'cause I'm so ready to leave this place."

If that hurt his feelings or offended him, Nightwolf sure didn't show it. He looked from my eyes to my neck and then even lower.

"Hey!" I cried when one of his hands reached for my chest. He may not have had that strange look in his eyes this time but he was still grabbing for my girls and that was a no-no.

His hand slipped above my chest and took hold of the chain I wore around my neck. He inspected it with an unreadable expression.

"Yeah, I was gonna' give that back." I lied.

He shook his head and let the chain drop back onto my skin. "Keep it. I was going to give it to you anyway." he added.

Now I really felt bad, but whatever. Free chain. I shrugged and leaned on my side, the only position I could lay on that didn't make me spill a tremendous amount of blood up my stomach or back. This period thing sucks! Even without the cramps and headache.

Nightwolf was standing at the dresser, pulling weapons off of his body and laying them on top of it one by one. He sure kept a lot of knives on him. And was that a slingshot? It looked like a deadly version of one. Darts and daggers also joined the mix. He finished with his weapons and then started to take of his boots. They were giant, those things, but they suited him well. He stood in his bare feet and stretched until something popped and I stifled a laugh. Next to come off was his black vest, and I got my second view of his tawny torso. It was still as drool-inducing as it was last night, unfortunately.

"What are you doing?" I had to ask.

"Disrobing," he said obviously, continuing to do so. He took off his belt but left his pants on. Then he started sauntering over towards the bed.

"Hold up, wait, stop!" I cried, "You're not sleeping in here, are you?" I shrieked.

Nighty nodded and chuckled, "This _is_ my room," he said, "Our room." he amended.

"Don't try anything funny, okay? 'Cause I'm seriously not even remotely in the mood." I snapped, but I was being honest.

"Nor am I." Nightwolf claimed tiredly. I was not liking where this was going but made space for him anyway.

"You know I'm on my, uh thing." I told him. _It would be so embarrassing if I got blood on him or something, _I thought in distress.

Nightwolf sprawled out under the covers and lay his head on his folded arms. Evidently he didn't care, so neither would I.

* * *

I woke up alone the next morning, I didn't like it. Why should I care though? He always does this, go about his chiefly duties and leaves me behind. I should be used to it, but I wasn't. It was...weird to have him sleep in the same bed as me last night, but it wasn't entirely unwelcome. Granted we were both uncomfortable, me being on my cycle and him still wearing his 'work' pants, but still. It was sorta' nice.

This morning, though, reality had kicked back in and I was utterly alone in the hut, just like I had been the last few weeks. I stalked to the kitchen after performing my daily bathroom rituals wearing naught but a towel and was pleasantly surprised.

A huge bouquet of various types and colors of flowers lay on the table tied at the stems with a piece of twine. There was a folded scrap of parchment hanging from the twine and I walked over to it and picked it up.

_Mileena, _it read, _I have gone to work in the village._ Nothing new there, I frowned bitterly.

_Forgive me, but I will see you this evening. _So he _is _coming back, I smiled._ Not that I care or anything_, I thought quickly.

_ Love, Nightwolf. _

_Love? Love? What the hell? _I thought, befuddled. Maybe the chief wasn't playing, maybe he really is trying to get something going between us. Ordinarily I'd say no chance in hell, but whatever. If he wants to try then let him. These flowers, cheesy as they may be, were a nice touch.

I definitely want to see what else he has in store.

* * *

**A/N: Thanks for reading, please review, yadda yadda yadda. There is a lot more in store for our odd couple, so stay tuned! I'll try and get in another update soon. Until next time!**

**~DymondGold~**


	9. Wanted

**A/N: Some pretty big things will be happening in this chapter, I hope it makes up for the long wait I put everyone through!**

**Disclaimer: Same old stuff, MK belongs to Tobias and Boon and Vogel and the like, not me; I do own the Prick, for all he's worth.**

* * *

**Chapter Nine**

* * *

"This is getting out of hand," Sonya murmured worriedly. Beside her Jax's scowl deepened.

"_Getting_? Johnny got his ass barbequed and Liu Kang's a damn near ghost. This was never in hand to begin with." he sighed.

In a sturdy hospital bed under a layer of blankets the comatose shaolin monk rested peacefully. As Jax stated, Liu Kang's pallor was a chalky white and his hair-what he had left-was washed out and grey. His eyes looked sunken in and his lips were bluish-black. He had IV's and other needled accessories stemming from his arms and had a feeding tube connected to his stomach. He was in terrible shape, but it was better than being dead.

"How the _hell_ did he survive and not...and not Johnny?" Sonya's lips quivered with her eyes steely and wet.

Jax sighed wearily, "Sone," he trailed disapprovingly, mistaking her fierce wonder for bitterness. True, her lover had been brutalized not even a week ago but she had gotten over that.

More like forced it into a deep, dark, Freudian closet of her subconscious mind.

"No, it's not like that. I just don't know why one survived and the other didn't. He used the same attack on both of them, at the same time. They both should have died." she reasoned, then back-peddled quickly.

"Not that I want Liu Kang to die or anything!" she cried, then slapped one hand against her temple aggravatedly.

"This just doesn't make any sense!" she growled. Jax shuffled in the small hospital room from one foot to the other, his bulky frame was taking up most of the space.

"Maybe Johnny took the brunt of the attack" he suggested, but that didn't satisfy Sonya for too long.

"Yeah maybe..." she trailed, unconvinced, "Do you think there's a way we can undo this? It _is_ a curse."

"I don't know. Where would we even find someone to do that? That bastard's got most the realms scared to death already. I mean, he already took out the Tarks and Shokans, a good chunk of the creatures in Outworld, and as for Earth, well, you know what happened last week. It won't be long before-"

"No!" Sonya cut in, almost too loudly, but then again, not much would probably rouse the warrior in bed across from them.

"There's gotta be a way to stop this," she said in a quieter, determined tone.

Jax looked unsure but didn't remark. He knew when to keep his peace around his long-time friend and partner.

With a new glint in her eyes she added, "And I think I know just who can help."

* * *

_He's not speaking, that's not a good sign, _Rain thought to himself as he and his cohort knelt before their master.

Rain was apprehensively going over everything he had done in the past few days, making sure he hadn't screwed up in any way. So far he was coming up clean, but with a capricious emperor like Quan Chi, he could never be too certain.

The immortal was on his throne, brooding it looked like. _What was there to brood about_, Rain thought confusedly. The man had everything he ever desired. Quan Chi's goals were, ambiguously, to rule as many realms as he could and have absolute power and dominion. He had achieved this, almost. There was still Earthrealm to be conquered, but he was working on that, right?

Most of the creatures of the realms feared or revered the sorcerer, so why was he so unhappy looking? Rain couldn't understand. Nothing seemed to make his 'master' happy. He, on the other hand, was easily pleased. All he wanted was to be on the winning side and have his own command.

"Rain."

_Shit, _Rain thought miserably. "Yes my lord?" he asked in a clear voice that betrayed none of his emotions.

From his large golden and leather throne the sorcerer rose. He took measured steps from the large seat to where his two minions knelt, heading for the younger of them. He had gained not muscle nor melanin in his pasty white complexion in the weeks that elapsed since he began taking over realms. He looked the exact same, still slimly built and tattooed and donning his black leather pants and sash held in place with a metal belt and rusty gold and green amulet. His boots, long and black and dull, were thick and hurt like hell; Rain would know from the many times he'd been kicked by them.

When a cold hand was placed on his shoulder Rain stood, only to have his head snapped to the side harshly. With the back of his hand the pale sorcerer had struck Rain fully across the face.

"You did not kill her." he stated in a low calm voice.

There was blood on the polished black marble floor, on Quan Chi's alabaster knuckles, on Ermac's shoulder, in Rain's mouth and down his chin. He wiped it away absently. Frantically he was thinking, _He found out! How the hell did he find out? It's been weeks since she beat I mean since I let her get away!_

_"_H-How?" Rain choked out thickly.

Quan Chi glanced up and down at him tiredly. He motioned for Ermac to stand and that was answer enough.

_Ermac, that bastard, he's always one-upping me! I should've known he'd rat me out, _Rain fumed. Hopefully Quan Chi wouldn't kill him.

"I gave you orders to finish her and you failed. I'll not tolerate failure, Rain" Quan Chi intoned gravely.

Rain's heart sped up, "I thought she would die! She was in the middle of nowhere, she was defenseless when I left her, she was weak!" he cried.

"**She must not have been too weak if she kicked your ass**," One of Ermac's personalities sneered. He was constantly flipping between his usual dominant, stoic personality and another ruder, coarse, competitive one.

"You bastard, you weren't there!" Rain exclaimed defensively.

"Enough," Quan Chi slightly raised his voice but not by much.

Rain really couldn't stand that two-faced jerk.

One of these days he planned on telling Quan Chi that his oh-so-favored Ermac was plotting to overthrow him and take over Outworld with Noob Saibot's help. But not today. First he had to take that schizophrenic asshole's place as the sorcerer's second in command. This latest blunder sure wasn't helping matters.

"Rain," he continued, waiting until he had the young traitor's full attention. "It has come to my attention that Mileena is indeed, still alive and is taking residence in Earthrealm in a human village. I want you to find her, and I want you to kill her." he ordered icily.

Rain nodded, "Yes my lord," he replied submissively. He started to transport but with a flick of his wrist Quan Chi dissipated his watery whirlwind, letting it fall sloppily to the shiny floor with a splat.

"I did not dismiss you, Rain." he said, to Ermac he murmured, "I want you to accompany him. He hasn't proven to be a very reliable agent as of yet."

"Yes my lord," Ermac responded.

_Ugh, quit fucking talking about me like I'm not in the room, _Rain wanted to shout. He still didn't know what made that glowy-eyed freak any better than him. Certainly not looks, Rain knew he had him beat in that department. _Maybe that's why Ermac is always such an ass , because he's jealous of me_, Rain thought smugly.

_"_Should either of you fail," Quan Chi warned, "You will be dealt with and relieved of your positions. You are dismissed," he warned them as they finally were able to leave.

Rain power-walked out of the throne room ahead of Ermac, making sure to shove into the taller being's shoulder on the way.

* * *

True to his word, Nightwolf returned this evening, much to my surprise. I watched him lumber into the house all worn out and sweaty and shirtless and without his face paint on. He went to the room and I followed him silently. He called all his weapons out of hiding and laid them on the dresser, then took off his boots and wiggled his toes. I snorted.

"You are so weird," I whispered under my breath. He gave me a quick glance but it was too blank to read. After he took off his belt and laid it across the dresser I trailed behind him into the kitchen.

"Have a seat," he told me, and I went over to the dinette set and leaned against one of the chairs. He looked at me disobeying him but only sighed and started rooting around the cupboards.

"Are you hungry?" he asked after a while of us two saying nothing. I shrugged.

"Yea sure. Are you gonna make something?" I rose a brow.

He smirked, "No. I'm going to _cook_ something."

"Cook what?" I retorted.

"Dinner," he chuckled.

"Oh that's real funny Mr. Chief of the Village" I remarked dryly. "I have to admit, though, I am impressed. I thought you were gonna stand me up." I admitted.

"Stand you up?" he repeated. He had a medium-sized pan in one hand and a small pot in the other.

"You know, not show up," I explained. "I didn't think you were serious about what you said yesterday, or in that not you left." I mumbled.

He stopped, like all of a sudden froze. I glanced up because I thought I'd said something wrong only to find that his eyes had changed again and a twitch teased his lips. It disappeared in a flash and he was back to normal.

"I am very serious. About everything I've said," he stated. Does that mean he was serious about what he said in the hallway that night?

_Would it really make a difference if he was?_

I don't know. I mean of course not. I mean it shouldn't...but I think it would. It shouldn't though, because I can't go getting caught up in anything, I have my revenge to think about. I can't wait until I get my old body back because that has to mean these confusing feelings and thoughts will just leave me alone.

It was quiet, and I realized that he hadn't said anything while I was going off on a tangent in my mind. An unobstructed tangent, might I add, since that nasty voice wasn't chiming in for once.

"Thanks for the, um, flowers. They were nice." I muttered, not knowing what else to say to break the stiff silence. I'd put them on top of the pallet because I couldn't find a vase or jar.

"You are very welcome, Mileena," he said smoothly with his back turned. He was at the sink now, filling the little cauldron with water. After he set the full pot on top of the fire on one end of the grill, he put the pan down on the other.

I watched him grease the pan and slice some vegetables up, letting the carrots and onions and peppers fall into the cauldron haphazardly. From the counter he took a large slab of meat and began dicing it as well. I remember vaguely how I used to eat that stuff raw.

I almost gagged at the thought.

This is what has been happening to me, I've been remembering things that I used to do and have been sort of ashamed or disgusted. The way I used to munch on people and animals kind of makes me sick now, and don't even get me started on all that sexuality I used to ooze; don't get me wrong, there's no harm in being sexy but I was seriously taking it to an extreme. There are things I've done in battles and in that mortal club that I just can't believe. It's weird because I don't even recall being this affecting by my actions while I was doing them in my enhanced monstrous body. Actually, I don't recall much now that I think of it. Just bits and pieces. _Am I losing my memory or something? _I wondered idly. I didn't think much of it. The memories weren't that good anyway.

I jumped when Nighty scraped a chair away from the table across from me and sat down in it, making the wooden thing squeak. I played it off as a chill and rubbed my arms even though the temperature was at least 60 or 70 degrees in here.

We sat there for a while, not saying nothing. What was there to say? This whole 'betrothed' situation was awkward. Plus, Nighty's not exactly proving to be the romancy type. At least he's got the whole looks thing going for him.

He wasn't wearing a shirt, not that he usually was, and like always he was coated in sweat. His chest and stomach were both wet with it and there were dark spots in his pants. Now that my gaze had dropped down there I couldn't help but notice something else, something that I probably shouldn't have.

I blinked and blushed and turned my head to the side. I coughed, or was that a laugh? I don't know, it was something embarrassing. I hope he didn't see that. I looked up to make sure.

He had a dark brow raised and his lips held a wry smirk.

Damn.

"I know that we have only so many days left, but I want to let you know," Nightwolf rumbled softly, "Whatever you choose to do, you will always be welcome here."

_He's lying, _the voice exclaimed, _He doesn't want you here. You don't belong here. _

"Mileena?" Nightwolf asked hesitantly.

"Huh?" I whispered.

"Are you alright?" he solicited. I nodded but he didn't look like he believed me. He got up and moved to the chair directly beside it, even going so far as to scoot the thing closer to mine.

_Too close, _the voice hissed. I tuned it out.

Nightwolf took my hands and I immediately started to sweat. What the hell? He's just holding my hands, why am I panicking? Why is my heart speeding up? Why am I breathing so hard?

"Mileena," he crooned softly, "I want you to be able to trust me. I know I cannot ask that of you so soon, but I want you to try. Please. I won't hurt you," he claimed.

_LIES! _

"Oh...o-okay," I murmured. He smiled and my heart sprinted even faster. Smooth circles he was rubbing into the backs of my hands that were in his lap, close to his...

"Is there something bothering you?" he spoke. He kept his eyes on me but mine were on his lips. Despite being in the heat all day it didn't look like they were chapped. Not like last time when he kissed me.

Those feelings...they were coming back.

I shook my head in response to his question and felt his knees brush up against mine. I flinched at how rough his pants felt against my bare knees.

Since I didn't think Nighty was actually coming back home tonight I had opted to wear one of his shirts to bed. The thin flannel only covered my ass and a little of my thighs. Luckily I had on these tight shorts I got from Imala the old healer hag, she said they would keep this 'pad' thing in place while I slept. Still, I felt really exposed in front of the chief. Which is something else on my list of things that used to never bother me, considering the scandalous outfits I wore.

At least this shirt is square-cut and doesn't reveal much up top.

"Really Mileena," Nightwolf persisted, "If you talk about what is bothering you, it might help." he suggested while running a hand through his long coarse black hair, freeing mine in the process.

I pulled my other hand into my lap and wiped both of my sweaty palms onto my shirt, or his shirt. It must've caught his attention when I did that because he stopped looking at my face and when he stared at me, like really saw me, that dark color flooded his irises again. It's like his eyes switched again.

That can't be good.

"Um Nightwolf?" No answer.

I swiped my tongue across my lips nervously and that's where his eyes darted quickly.

"Nightwolf." I tried again. I was panting silently now but also I was a little excited. I know what happened last time he got like this and although it was new and scary, I wasn't afraid to try it again. It wasn't that bad of an experience. Well except for the grinding, that hurt like hell.

When I looked back up it seemed like he had snapped out of it. Things began to calm down in the room now that his 'chief face' was back on; that hard unaffected look he gets when I catch him working with his men or speaking with the villagers.

After a few deep breaths I once again dried my palms and cleared my throat. "So. Um, do you know how long that food's gonna be?"

Nightwolf didn't meet my eyes, just stood and sauntered over to the grill. "It's almost done," he assured me. He took out two clay bowls from the cabinet and rinsed them in the sink.

So what. in the actual fuck. was that? Nightwolf may have bounced back but even now my body is still out of whack and acting up. That heat was in my stomach at the very bottom and I had yet to figure out what it meant. I shut both my legs and rubbed them together, trying to understand why I kept getting a little spark of something down there. It was like a little fizzle of electricity that shot up my back and down through my toes. Kind of like chills but better.

I didn't want to lose the feeling so I kept my legs squeezed shut and bit my lip, closed my eyes so that I could concentrate on that feeling and where it was coming from.

"Are you in pain?" Nightwolf called over the rush of the sink. He was rinsing some cups now and had a worried look on his face.

"No" I answered with tremor behind my lips.

_Bitch get it together! You're pathetic, _you know who mentally grimaced. I didn't mind it, there was too much activity clouding my brain revolving around a certain shaman and how he was now coming towards me with two hot bowls in hand.

He set mine down in front of me and went to take his seat. Instead of going back to his own across from me, he sat where he was most recently. Right beside me. I was a wreck.

I couldn't get my hand to stop shaking and I almost choked on the scalding stew. Those feelings ignited, that heat was now a flame and being close to the chief was only making them worse as time went by. Which is why I gobbled up my dinner like a wild fucking animal.

In hindsight, I wish I would have savored it more. It was actually really good. The meat was tender and well seasoned, the vegetables were good and spicy, and the soup warmed my stomach. Not that it needed to be warmed, seeing as how I'm already burning up.

I finished rapidly and he was done soon after. I licked a bit of sauce from my finger and mouth and if this bothered Nightwolf he sure didn't let on. He was standing up and collecting the dishes. I downed my glass of warm water and then stood as well.

"I got it," I stated and took the bowls and cups from him. He looked unsure at first._  
_

"Look, it's not that many things to wash. Just let me do this since you did cook dinner," I sighed.

He nodded slowly and put the cauldron on the counter and the skillet nearby. I gathered them all and put them in sink.

"That was really good. I didn't know you knew how to cook," I commented offhandedly.

Now that I was distracted with cleaning I didn't have to focus on those burning sensations.

Nightwolf laughed. That laugh did things to me and I almost dropped the glass I was holding. It was a good laugh, a sexy one. Damn did I just say Night-Light's laugh was sexy? Well it was. So is his smile. He has a jagged fang hiding in both corners of his mouth. I wonder if they're sharp. Only one way to find out, though, and I don't think I should do that again.

"I know how to do many things, Mileena. Cooking is only a rudimentary skill, I have much better ones." he boasted quietly. _Did he mean that the way I think he does?_

I glanced at him, he wasn't smiling so congenially anymore; oh yes, he meant it the way I think he does.

I was no stranger to most things sexual, quite the opposite actually. As far as innuendo goes, I think I've heard it all. As far as this so-called passion goes, though, I have no idea. I don't remember actually feeling anything when I seduced my victims, I mean besides hunger and blood-lust.

Is that what I'm feeling right now? Is that what all this is? I hope not. That would only complicate shit.

I still had so much to think about but there were no more dishes left to distract me. I huffed a sigh and wrung out the rag. When I spun around Nightwolf was right in front of me. Like two-fucking-inches-away in front of me.

"What are you...?" I trailed with a surprised gasp. "You tryna' give me a damn heart attack?" I snapped. Nightwolf didn't even wince at my foul language. That's when I knew he had switched again.

"Move." I told him firmly. I wanted to experiment with these new sensations but I wanted to do it with the real Nightwolf, not this creepy alternate version. "Nightwolf. Move." I said again.

Oh he moved alright.

He stepped closer and gripped both hands onto the counter on either side of me so that I was trapped and couldn't duck under his arms. I got a little bit scared. I backed into the counter and breathed rapidly though my mouth. I licked my dry lips with an even drier tongue.

That must've done it.

Nightwolf moved his dark hands from the counter to my hips and dipped his head down and kissed me. Again. He moved against my tongue expertly against my mouth and forced it open. It was...different to have someone's tongue in my mouth in the instance where I wasn't biting it off.

He broke away from my face and dropped kisses on my chin and neck and when he got to the rim of the oversized shirt he dragged his lips back up to my ear, and then around to my lips again. The distance between us was no more as he slid his hands over my bottom and pulled me flush against him, right onto something hard. I pulled back, shocked, and looked down at his pants.

Damn.

Nightwolf suddenly grabbed both of my thighs and hoisted me up above him. He set me down a few steps later...down on the _table_. The fucking table. He jerked my hips to his and stroked against me and I cried out.

That was it! That was where it was coming from, those feelings, that heat! I tilted my head back and let that jolting pleasure wash over me. I know my mouth was open and I was resting my weight on my hands that were splayed on the table behind me but I didn't care. Nightwolf's lips covered my own and this time I moved my tongue with his.

He was rubbing against me still and slipped his hands under my shirt. His hands were hot and glided over my bare stomach. I arched into him and wrapped my arms around his back. I heard noises, they were coming from me but it wasn't registering. I tightened my legs around his torso and let my bottom lip slide between my teeth. My eyes were shut and I laughed elatedly. It just felt so strange but definitely so damn good!

Then his hands found out that my chest was bare underneath that shirt and bad things started to happen. He flicked and twirled at my sensitive skin and I almost had an asthma attack. He was moving so fast. He pushed me down on my back onto the table and yanked my legs towards him.

Shit. That hurt.

He was licking and kissing my exposed chest now, and when he bit down I fucking screamed; partly because it hurt so bad but mostly because in a messed up way it kinda felt good. He glanced up at me and soothed the spot he had hurt. He left a hot trail down my stomach and stopped at the top of my shorts.

I came hurtling back down from cloud nine and quickly clapped my legs shut. This had gone far enough. I sat up and pulled the shirt back down over my belly. Raking my fingers through my hair and folding my arms against my chest I observed him. He was staring at my legs, no, between my legs.

"...You are in heat" he stated in a velvety deep voice. I shifted under his steady gaze and once again moved my legs together.

"You are untouched," he added in an almost silent whisper.

Oh wow, can this shit get any more embarrassing?

"Yes, I am a damn virgin." I ground out through a quickly clogging throat. My eyes started to burn as much as my cheeks.

Nightwolf placed his hands over my shoulders and loosened my arms. "I'm sorry," he apologized in his own voice, which wasn't that different from the one before. He was back to himself now. Which had me thinking.

This is the second time that 'this' has happened and each time he was zoned out, like possessed or something. It's like...It makes me feel like he's only doing these things against his better judgement. Like he doesn't _really _want me. Like he's using me.

"Nightwolf." I had to know.

He looked down at me and I made sure it was really him and not that other version.

"Do you want me?" I asked seriously, "Like. You're not just using me, are you?"

He didn't answer right away, but when he did I was really surprised.

He bent forward and gave me three kisses; one on my forehead, one on my cheek, and the last one on the surface of my swollen lips. It was very clean, very chaste, very Nightwolfy.

I smiled genuinely.

"Mileena, we should go to sleep now." he advised. He helped me off the table and slipped his hand in mine, bringing it delicately to his mouth. While we walked to his room he massaged my knuckles with his thumb.

I dove under the covers and expected him to go back to the den and sleep like he usually did but no, he surprised me again by getting into bed behind me. I didn't really mind.

* * *

**A/N: And the plot thickens! I'll try and update more regularly, I have big plans for this story so please keep reading folks! Thank you and good night!**

**~DymondGold~**


	10. Hunted

**A/N: _This is a long author's note, I'm sorry. You don't have to read it, but it would help clear some stuff up._**

**So let me explain a few things, since a lot of mistakes were made in this chapter: **

**1. Ages: According to MK9, Ermac and Mileena have been living for a little over a year and Rain is about 10,000 years old. Even though Ermac and Mileena have adult bodies, they were just formed/created a year ago, or so says MK wiki. I'll just go with that. **

**2. Ermac speaks in plural sentences in the game, I assume it's because he's speaking with all the souls put into one voice. That's how he'll speak from now on. **

**3. I've heard this story was getting boring due to lack of action on Mileena's part; she isn't standing up for herself very well. The reason for that is this: she is a clone of Kitana and had equal strength/combat skills to Kitana, says MK wiki. The only thing that set her apart was her training with the sai and her half-Tarkatan DNA. Since Quan Chi took that away from her and made her a human, she only has recollection of how to handle her sai and various combat skills. She can still kick butt, she just isn't adjusted to being human yet. I hope this helps.  
**

****As for Tvari, I know he's pissing a lot of people off but don't worry...Karma's a drag(he'll get what's coming to him)****

**Disclaimer: I own nothing MK-related, it belongs to Boon and Tobias and Vogel and all those lovely folks. **

* * *

**Chapter Ten**

* * *

If there was a way I could put into words how perfectly utterly extremely _right_ this felt, I would. But I can't, so I opted for holding on to this moment as long as I could. Which, given my dumb luck, wasn't very long.

I'm talking about the fact that I woke up this morning with my face pressed against something hard, and warm and come to find out, it was Nightwolf's bare chest. I must've moved around in my sleep because the way we were positioned last night was nothing like this. Not that I'm complaining, though.

Nightwolf had one arm laying on the packed-earth floor outside of the pallet and the other was curled around me, resting on my hip. My thigh was on top of his leg and I could feel the heat from his toned body through the itchy fabric of the oversized shirt I wore. I noticed that the chain I wore, his necklace he gave me, had left an imprint on his chest from being squished between us.

I leaned over and traced the dent carefully. His skin depressed under my fingers as I moved it over the whole expanse of his torso. Slowly I sat up and rubbed my thumb over his cheeks, over the high-structured bones of his face, and then I cradled his chin in both my hands. I brushed over his smooth eyelids and sharp nose. I let my fingers get tangled in his long dark hair and bit the edge of my lip. _  
_

_What if he wakes up? _I thought anxiously, and then rolled my eyes. So what if he wakes up, I'll just pretend it was a mistake or something. I couldn't really think of any good excuse right now, part of me was still asleep, the other part was awake..._very_ awake.

I let my hands slide down from his within his hair back to the sides of his face. I was no longer in full control of what I was doing, this was a part of me I wasn't really familiar with. I didn't know how but some kind of way I'd moved to where I was straddling the shaman by the waist with my hands still cupped around his face.

I tilted my head at an angle and hunched slightly downward. My hair was short, but still long enough to form a thick tangled curtain around my head. I licked my lips and panted nervously. This would be a little harder to explain if Nightwolf were to wake up right now. Still, I leaned closer to him and hovered over his mouth. It was slightly agape, but not too much. Just enough so that I could...

_SLAM!_

I jumped and jerked back from my precarious perch atop the chief and shuddered. My eyes were shut tightly and I was trying to get my heart to quit the marathon it was beating through inside me. I had yet to move from Nightwolf's lap, in fact I was sitting flush against him with my hands clutched at my heart.

I heard heavy footsteps and struggled to get off of Nightwolf and out of the grasp of the sheets on the bed. By the time Tvari had reached the straw partition I had thrown off my shirt and stood near the dresser in just my chest bindings and my shorts. My very _short_ shorts. They were only meant to cover my ass and not much else so I can imagine the Prick got quite an eyeful with my back to him.

I turned slowly around and will myself not to show how embarrassed I actually was. Slapping on an insipid smirk I placed my hands at my hips and asked,

"Do you mind?"

He found his voice and grimaced, "What are you doing in the chief's quarters?"

I rolled my eyes and folded my hands under my chest, "This is where I stay, too."

Tvari had to tear his ruby eyes away from my body and back up to my narrowed eyes.

"What?" was his oh so intelligent reply.

"Why are you even here?" I snapped, "Do you always barge in like this?"

"That's none of your business wench. Get dressed and leave us, I need to speak to him privately." He ordered rudely.

I snorted and took my time rifling through Nightwolf's drawer to find myself a pair of pants.

"What are you doing?" he barked. He had the nerve to come and yank my arm away from the dresser. I wanted to slap the shit out of him so damn bad right then.

If I did I he'd probably kick my ass again.

"I'm trying to find something to wear if you'd let me go!" I hissed. His grip, it was unforgiving.

He looked like he was ready to strike me but let me go. "Why are you wearing _his _clothing? Don't you have any of your own?" he spat.

"Don't you think that if I had my own I'd be wearing them? You are such a fucking idiot." I sneered. I don't know why I was provoking him, it was so unwise but so very funny.

Tvari didn't give me the satisfaction of getting upset, he instead just threw up his eyes towards the ceiling and stomped over to where Nightwolf was still snoozing. Amazing that man was still asleep through all that.

I pulled out a shirt I'd altered to look like a short-sleeved black cutoff and wrestled into a pair of bright blue tights. _Where the hell did these even come from?_

I found my moccasins not too far from the bed and slipped them on, and made sure to flip the prick off before I left the hut.

And so begins my day.

* * *

Damn he had it for her, and he had it bad. Nightwolf didn't remember dreaming about Mileena but apparently he did; either that or the...activities he relished in last night was still affecting him this morning. That aching just wouldn't go away, maybe another trip to the icy lake was in order.

He didn't think he'd ever felt this way about any other woman (or man, for that matter) and regrettably admitted to himself the hideous truth.

He was in love.

Plain and simple, head over heels, nonstop heart-wrenching love. He knew this meant trouble, if only for him. He was in love with Mileena and would do anything for her, to see that beautiful smile she kept hidden away under foul language and cynical smirks. He would do anything to have her by his side by day, and writhing beneath him by...

Where had that come from?

**Is it really a surprise?** A dark voice chuckled from within his mind. He froze, knowing instantly what this meant. That...thing inside him had now gained a voice. This was only a new way for the thing to torment him, Nightwolf thought miserably. Why couldn't the entity just leave him be?

**You'd like that wouldn't you? Nah, I'm here to stay, and there ain't a damn thing you can do about it**, it gloated.

Nightwolf's eye twitched, "You'll not use that language" he growled, not even realizing he was speaking aloud to a voice in his head.

**What are you gonna' do about it chief?** It laughed spitefully.

Again Nightwolf was ready to retort but shook his head. It was no use. What use to be urges and unctions were now audible verbiages, at least they were audible to Nightwolf.

**So when are you gonna mate with her?** It pressed, and Nightwolf frowned. _That's really none of your business, _he replied mentally.

Nightwolf was walking towards the bathroom, still wary of his general in the den. Tvari had woken him up this morning and had demanded to speak with him, so Nightwolf sent him to wait in the den until he was ready for him.

Splashing cold water on his tanned face the shaman reached for his wooden comb and began working the kinks out of his hair. It was especially tangled this morning, he noted.

**It is my business,** the beast spoke solemnly, giving Nightwolf a start. **I'm the one who chose her, she is mine just as much as she is yours.**

_Crazy, _Nightwolf murmured, earning him a sharp pinprick behind his eyelids denoting that the beast had switched his eye color again. It was always trying to take control, but it never could. Even when his eyes were switched, Nightwolf was still in control, just not completely. It was like being on autopilot. **  
**

**Act swiftly, or we'll lose her,** it urged. Nightwolf rolled his eyes and began brushing his teeth.

"What do you want me to do? Force her to marry me? I'm sure that'll go over well..." Nightwolf trailed dismally. He could already envision the misery Mileena would go through and the horrors she would put _him_ through if he were to try that.

**Maybe if you were to-**

"No" Nightwolf rigidly answered to himself. He saw what his beast was thinking and immediately shut the images out. He wouldn't compromise Mileena in any way, ever. She meant too much to him.

**You'll let her get away if you don't do something!** The entity snarled desperately. Nightwolf wiped his mouth with a towel and scowled. He never liked being told what to do.

"I'll do whatever she would have me do. I'll do whatever will satisfy her, I just want her to be happy, and if revenge pleases her, who am I to stand in her way?"

**Her mate! Her betrothed! Her protector, lover, and chief!** It angrily supplied. The shaman nodded absently.

"That is true, but would you really want me to make her stay if she doesn't want to? Love...it has to go both ways," he murmured dejectedly.

**She will love us, in time,** the voice muttered uncertainly. It would seem that it doesn't want Mileena to be unhappy either.

**So you're just gonna let her go?** The beast asked in defeat. Nightwolf shrugged his shoulders. He was going to do that if Mileena chose to go, but he still had hope that she would stay. If she did go, maybe she would return someday. He would be waiting for her.

Nightwolf could only sigh as he thudded down the hall in his custom brown boots. His adviser was waiting for him like he knew the man would be. Tvari stood when Nightwolf stepped into the den and held his breath.

Each and every time the general came into contact with his chief he felt as if he would be skinned alive should the events of that day come up into the conversation. It had been weeks since he attacked Mileena and all her bruises were gone. He should be in the clear, but he couldn't be at ease. One of these days Tvari would just come out and tell Nightwolf what happened, consequences be damned, because the stress was just eating him alive sometimes. When he was around Mileena, he was fine, even fell back into his arrogant and cocky attitude but when he was around Nightwolf, he was reminded of what the shaman could do to him should the truth be revealed.

"What is it Tvari?" Nightwolf asked haggardly. Both of them exited the hut and started making their way slowly through the village.

"I was just reminding you of the festival. There are things to be attended to and that is not my area of expertise." he stated tightly.

Nightwolf laughed heartily, "Did the young women get a'hold of you again, General?"

Tvari narrowed his ruby red eyes and ran a hand through his long dark blonde hair. He couldn't stand those women fawning over him, they were all little girls in his experienced eyes; he _had _seen almost a century go by so he was way older than them. If only they knew.

"You better get down to the village square, they're starting the decorations today," Tvari suggested.

Nightwolf nodded, "Before we part ways..." he began, stopping in the middle of the walkway.

Tvari instantly started to sweat; _here it comes_, he thought dreadfully. He stopped as well and faced his chief head on.

Nightwolf was a bit surprised at his friend's grave expression, "I wanted to know if you could cover for me this afternoon,"

Tvari relaxed and stuck his tongue in the side of his cheek, looking embarrassedly at his feet.

"Oh. Of course, sir. What are you up to?" he asked interestedly.

"I wanted to do something special for Mileena. I should only be about an hour," he explained.

Disapprovingly Tvari said, "If I were you, I wouldn't go getting too attached, sir. She's not going to be here for too much longer."

Nightwolf laughed bitterly, "It's too late for that, General."

"You don't mean..." Tvari asked incredulously. Had the impossible truly happened? Had his sensible chief fallen for the silly aggravating wench after all?

"I'm afraid so," Nightwolf muttered. He had his hands clasped behind his back and his gaze far off.

Tvari looked his chief up and down, then gave a low whistle. _Damn, _he thought. Well this is nothing if not surprising.

"So what are you going to do about this? I mean, we are on the same page right; you are in love with the wench-I mean Mileena." he backtracked.

Nightwolf nodded. "I don't think there is anything I can do but try to convince her to stay. If she does leave, I can only hope that she'll return to me someday. There will always be a place for her here."

Tvari couldn't believe what he was hearing. Nightwolf had refused to take a bride for so long that the women of the village eventually stopped trying. He could imagine they might not take this news so well.

"Have you announced this to _them _yet?" Tvari asked in reference to the rest of the village.

For so long the village had shunned him, only now the women were seeming to warm up to him but the men remained neutral or indifferent. His men were the closest family he had here. The fact that they depended on him to keep their lives intact helped smooth things alone. That and he was friends with the their beloved chief; Nightwolf could do no wrong in his people's eyes.

"Not yet." He whispered. "I won't tell them until she has accepted to a union between us."

"No need to get their hopes up," Tvari mumbled while nodding to himself. Nightwolf heard this and laughed.

"So you'll do it?" he asked, he already knew the answer though.

Tvari nodded and they parted ways. The general decided he would have a talk with the wench. His friend was in deep for the woman, that much was obvious, but he had to see how she felt about him in return. It was his duty as adviser and confidante to Nightwolf to look out for the shaman's feelings, after all.

* * *

It was all Rain could do not to go crazy in the cramped up wagon. They'd been riding for at least eighteen hours on the back of a fruit cart smothered between crates of strongly-scented citrus. He wanted to get to the stupid village and off that wench Mileena but that schizophrenic asshole was making this so damn difficult.

"Tell me why we couldn't just teleport to the city?" Rain griped as a rounded tangerine knocked him upside the head again.

"**Quit bitchin' and enjoy the ride.** We need to lay low. Teleporting will make people suspicious of us and cause more problems." Ermac answered in two completely contrasting voices.

"Well are we almost there yet?" Rain pestered. He shifted but couldn't find a comfortable place amidst the wooden containers.

"**You're such a pain in the ass, kid."** Ermac sighed gruffly. They were not too happy about this mission either but unlike Rain, they knew how to deal with these things. As it was, Ermac was donning a heavy black cloak that hid each of their distinctive features. Rain, on the other hand, had to wear a pair of plain breeches and a simple white cotton shirt. Poor man's clothes.

The demi-god was less than pleased about that as well.

Ermac sighed and wished they could just cut their losses and ditch the kid, or better yet, kill him. A nice fatality would do, and afterwards they could add the cheeky warrior to their collection of harvested souls within them.

"Ahh, hell! This orange juice is all over my hair! How the hell am I supposed to get this out?" Rain complained loudly.

_On second thought_, Ermac mused, _maybe we'll just kill him, ix-nay on the collecting of his soul_.

"**Jump!**" Ermac suddenly yelled, and then leaped from the moving vehicle.

Rain was slow to comprehend and sat dumbfounded as the wagon continued to move forward, taking him further away from the city.

With a long-suffering growl Ermac telepathically hoisted their older partner from the cart and tossed him down the hill below. They were sure to make it look like the prince had simply lurched forward and accidentally fallen off since there were people watching.

After Rain had stopped rolling, he marched dizzily to where Ermac was standing amongst a throng of people in the setting sun.

Rain saw Ermac standing smugly in front of a group of people and began to shake with anger. _How dare he? _Rain was a prince and wanted to be treated as such, never mind that he betrayed his country and has no right to claim that title anymore.

He saw red as he stomped over to the telepath and raised his fist but was surprised as it was suspended in mid-air. Rain struggled to connect his flesh with Ermac's face but the hold Ermac had over his arm was too strong. With a defeated huff Rain brought his clenched hand down to his side. Ermac turned their back to the warrior and that's when Rain lunged for them.

Ermac swiftly backhanded the prince and Rain was knocked to the ground, then yanked back up by his collar.

"**S****top making a scene you lousy little bitch! **Come on, we need to find an inn so we can get some rest. It's getting dark." Ermac advised in a voice that wasn't kind but was a whole lot gentler than the previous one.

Rain stumbled to his feet and nursed his bloody nose. Reluctantly he followed the robed figure ahead of him.

They walked through the town silently, well Rain was muttering curses under his breath the whole while, and when they got to the tavern Rain immediately fell back. He stared longingly at the ale and whiskey that was flowing freely from several tankards and barrels in the bar. Ermac had to retreat and grab Rain by his ponytail.

"**Let's go pretty boy. **Aren't you a little young to be drinking?" They asked. Rain snorted.

"I'm ten thousand years old. I can do whatever the hell I want." He claimed. "You're the one that hasn't been around for even a year," he added. _So stop calling me kid, _Rain thought fiercely to himself.

They finally got to the inn and found no one at the front desk. Ermac, in all his cloaked eminence, went up to the counter and in one swift motion smashed the little silver bell. Ominous silence rang throughout the lobby until one brave soul approached the formidable duo.

"C-Can I help you sirs?" the short man asked.

"We require a room." Ermac told him.

"Two beds?" he confirmed.

"One." Ermac corrected.

"What the he-" Rain started to shout but Ermac willed his partner's mouth shut.

"Will that be all?" the frightened man asked. Ermac nodded. It wasn't until after he paid the man and pocketed the room key in the folds of his cloak that he allowed Rain to speak again. Ermac was just opening the rickety door to their room when Rain exploded.

"What the hell? Why did you have to choose the filthiest inn and then only get one bed?" he fumed.

Ermac leaned against one of the walls and let the hood of their cloak fall to their shoulders. "Single bedrooms are cheaper. And how do you know this inn is the filthiest?" **  
**

Rain gestured to the stained and torn carpet, to the peeling yellow walls that were probably once white, and to the only piece of furniture in the room, the wrinkled black bed.

"I bet they only use black sheets to hide all the stains of piss and whatever else is on there" Rain remarked disgustedly.

From the other side of the empty room Ermac scoffed, "**Is nothing good enough for your prissy ass?"**

Rain grumbled and pushed past them to get to the window that was already open; it had a hole busted through it.

"Where are you going?" Ermac asked solemnly.

"Oh you're using the nice voice now?" Rain jeered. "I'm going to sleep outside. It beats staying in this shithole."

Ermac rose and followed him, much to Rain's surprise.

"You're coming too? I thought you'd stay." he murmured. He swiped a piece of his hair out of his face with a bloody hand.

"Why would we stay in here? **After all, you did say it was a shithole."** Ermac retorted.

"Yeah, but you're such a stingy bastard I figured you'd be sore over losing your money." Rain reasoned.

"We paid in counterfeit cash." Ermac replied.

They camped in the nearby woods and resigned to head out in the morning.

* * *

Sonya really didn't think things could get much worse, but as fate would have it she was proven wrong.

It started to rain.

"Let's stop here," Jax suggested to his irate partner. She looked ready to pop a vessel and he could practically see the rain sizzling on her sun-burnt skin.

He was about to track down a large enough tree in the sprawled woods when he caught sight of some people doing just that. Maybe they could help.

"Hey Sonya, there's some people over there," he told her and pointed in the direction of the motley pair.

Sonya strained her baby-blue eyes against the downpour and realized Jax was right. Lodged under the protection of a wide oak was a pair of men. Or at least one of them was a man, the other was wearing a cloak so she wasn't too sure.

"Come on, let's go see if they can help us find a hotel," Jax urged. Sonya rolled her eyes.

"Jax, don't you think that if they could help us find one they'd already be there? I don't even think there are hotels around here." she murmured. Her partner had already left, though.

She sighed and jogged to catch up with him.

They hadn't been traveling long. About eighteen-to-twenty hours or so. Now that it was getting dark, they figured they should stop and rest. If they could find an inn that'd be great, but camping out in the woods certainly wasn't out of the question. It wasn't as if they hadn't done it before.

She and Jax slowed to a stop a few feet away from the pair who were gathered around a measly flame. It looked like it would be out in no time.

Both the strangers looked up when Sonya and Jax approached them.

_It was almost as if they knew we were coming_, Sonya thought warily.

"Um, excuse us but we were wondering if you could point us in the direction of the nearest town or inn?" she asked politely.

The young man with the thick silky ponytail snorted and picked at the blood caked on his hands and white shirt. "Don't even bother, the inn in that shitty town is not fit for anyone, not even mortal peasants like you."

Sonya lifted a wet brow and placed her fists on her hips. _What's his problem? _she thought. She let Jax take over, she didn't think she could be civil with a jerk like him.

"Well could you tell us where it is anyway?" Jax demanded.

_Looks like he isn't too pleased with this guy eithe_r, Sonya smirked.

The tan-skinned young man rolled his dark eyes and shrugged, pointing in the general eastern direction. He then went back to trying to rid his hands of dirt and blood.

"Please allow us to apologize for our partner's rude behavior," the cloaked figure said in a deep voice as he stood. Sonya was sure it was a 'he' now, no woman had a voice that deep.

"It's no problem," Jax waved, "We get used to punks like him where we're from."

The man in the cloak tilted his head, "Why don't you make camp here? Then in the morning when this rain lets up we can go our separate ways," he offered.

Sonya's red flags were waving; they had no clue who these people were, why should they trust them?

Jax looked at her and she could tell he agreed. Being in the military had made them cautious.

"You know, that's alright. We'll just be on our way," he declined.

Sonya saw the man in the cloak step forward in an almost threatening way, "**Please, we insist**." he rumbled, then added politely, "I mean we could really do with the company."

Sharing a look they both nodded carefully to each other and shrugged. _Why not_, they thought.

* * *

I don't know how I ended up at the outskirts of the village, but now that I'm here I might as well take advantage of the quiet. I need to sort out my thoughts anyway. I need to figure out what to do.

Should I stay or should I go?

If I go I'll get my revenge, I'll take down Quan Chi and I'll have my powers back. These emotions will be gone, and I'll be free. But is that what I really want?

Those emotions weren't really so bad, at least some of them weren't. Others I could do without. As for revenge, is it really going to be that easy to take down Quan Chi? Even though I've been taking lessons from the prick in hand-to-hand, will that be enough? Who's to say I won't be killed?

And if I get killed, that's it. I'll have lived for a few years with nothing good to show for it. I was nothing but a pawn to Shang Tsung, to Khan, and even to Paste-Face. Is that all I'm good for? All I'm destined to be?

No, not if I stay with Nightwolf. He said that he would always welcome me here, and if I were to get married-

_Stop it! Don't even think about it! _the voice screamed.

Don't think about what? A life here with the shaman, a life with...happiness and maybe...peace? Is that even possible?

_Of course not you stupid bitch, think about what you're saying! You can't stay here, you don't belong here!_

No, that's not true, I frowned, It can't be true. The people here don't hate me like they used to back in Outworld or at that club I worked in. Even if they don't like me, they accept me. Nightwolf accepts me. He _wants_ me, he said so himself.

_Yeah he wants you alright! He'll say anything to get you to stay, and once he's through with you, he'll throw you away! Just like the sorcerer and the emperor and the immortal Quan Chi! They're all the same!_

No, they're not all the same. Nightwolf is different, I mumbled, but without much conviction. Why should he be different? Why should he care? He could be lying to me this whole time.

But then, that doesn't make any sense; what would he have to lie for?

"Ah, this is so frustrating!" I growled out loud, only just now realizing I had an audience.

I was sitting against the cabin-like barracks that usually held Tvari's men but now there wasn't anybody in there. I think this part of the village is called the Northern edge but I'm not sure. There was the normal expanse of woods ahead of me and the rest of the huts behind me.

There was also a group of three men not to far away. They were giving me funny looks, and not the _ha-ha-__this-bitch-is-crazy_ kind of looks either.

They were tawny-skinned and particularly built and sporting the typical soldier paint and regalia so I knew they were some of Tvari's men. I wonder why they stuck around if there are no others here. Now wasn't the time to be worried about that, though. Those men were coming closer.

I could either run my happy ass back to the village away from these guys, because I knew fighting them wouldn't end well, or I could engage them. I don't know. I am feeling pretty stressed and confrontational right now.

I stood my ground.

"You lost, sexy? I don't think I've seen you round here before." One of them crooned. I rolled my eyes and sighed. These mortal men were so stupid.

Well not including Nightwolf. He was okay.

The other man nudged his friend's side and laughed, "She's the one who's always messin' with the General." he reminded him.

The first man grinned, "Oh yeah. Now I remember. You're the one with the filthy mouth." He had a combination of a flat-top and a mohawk that reminded me of that young soldier Elan.

The other two had short black hair that fell to their chins, much like mine, except theirs was a whole lot straighter and greasier. They started circling me.

"So what you want?" I snapped, crossing my arms over my chest. I was itching to try and pull down my black cutoff shirt to hide my stomach from their hungry eyes but I couldn't let them know they scared me. "You looking for a fight?" I asked hopefully.

They howled with laughter and the first one with the mohawk stepped even closer to me.

"Nah. I wouldn't hurt such a pretty lil' thing like you," he smirked, "I figured we could do something else." he added suggestively.

Okay, so there was something I hadn't taken into account. I thought they'd just be baited into a fight and I would be able to blow some steam before hightailing it back to the village before they did any serious damage. Obviously they had other plans. I need to get out of here.

The leader of the trio put his hands on my waist and dipped his mouth next to my ear. "So what you say? You wanna' go?" he whispered.

I pushed his hands away and leaped backwards, almost falling on my behind. "Don't fucking touch me!" I hissed.

I was starting to panic a little when they all just laughed again. They had me trapped in between them and I didn't have my monstrous strength to break free. The leader started closing in on me again and I clenched my fists.

"Wench?"

_HALLELUJAH_!

I never _ever_ thought I'd be so glad to hear that voice of all voices. It was none other than the prick, Tvari. His calm questioning tone had distracted the men and I was momentarily allowed an escape. Once I was free I took my place behind the immortal prick.

Tvari glanced warily at me and then back at the three men. "Why aren't you in the village square with the rest of the troops?" he asked sternly.

They grumbled nonsensical replies and made their way back into the village. The leader gave me the evil eye, well, a lecherous variation of it anyway.

I shuddered.

Hopefully I won't be seeing them again.

Tvari stepped in front of me and fiddled with his long hair until he'd had it all behind his shoulders.

"What was that about?" he asked, "Don't tell me you're terrorizing my men now." he joked, or at least I think he was joking.

I stared at him, affronted, "_What_? _They_ were the ones who were terrorizing _me_, you idiot! Didn't you see the way they were all ganged up on me?" I screeched.

Tvari closed his eyes and cupped his ears as soon as I said 'what'. Now he let them go and eyed me critically. "They were harassing you?"

"Duh! What did you think they were doing, having chit-chat?" I huffed.

Tvari got that look on his face, that smug one, "Well what did you expect?" he said simply. "Look at you, masquerading as a common whore" he chided.

I couldn't pick my jaw up off the ground.

"You ought not advertise what isn't for sale, wench, or much more than just intimidation will come your way. You're lucky I came when I did." he continued.

I gave him a disbelieving glare, "What are you tryna' say?"

With a melodramatic sigh he narrowed his eyes, "Virgins like you should stop trying to have the cake and eat it too."

"What?" I yelled. _How did he know I'm a virgin? What the hell?_

"You can't tempt the men in this village and expect to get away with it."he explained tiredly.

"So why do you think I'm a virgin? Cause I'm not, you dick." I retorted scathingly.

He rolled his eyes with a smug sneer, "Of course you are. You may act like a harlot, but you and I both know that isn't the case through and through." he responded cryptically.

"Whatever, can we just get on with the training now?" I muttered embarrassingly.

He smirked to himself and led me to the clearing where our sparring sessions were usually held.

* * *

**A/N: That's it for now, stay tuned for the next update to see what happens next! Will Nighty's plans come to fruition? Will Rain and Ermac succeed in their mission? Will Sonya and Jax find a cure for poor wittle Wiu Kang? Will I ever stop asking questions? Until next time! **

**~DymondGold~**


	11. Undecided

**A/N: Enjoy! **

**Disclaimer: I don't own any MK characters, settings, or themes. It belongs to John, Ed, and John; Tobias, Boon, and Vogel, respectively. **

* * *

**Chapter Eleven**

* * *

****_If I were a former Tarkatan-Edenian clone turned human woman, what would I want? _Nightwolf thought to himself. The question was not an easy one. The morning was fading fast and soon he'd have to meet Mileena for his afternoon surprise but he didn't want to show up empty-handed. He just had no idea what to give her. He already gave her his necklace, the one he had fashioned and worn when he was a teenager. He couldn't give her the wooden one around his neck, it was enchanted and sacred to him. He already gave her fresh flowers, and they had rotted away since nobody had put them in a vase or container.

He wandered idly down the dirt roads of the village square and smiled down at two children playing with reed pipes and flimsy homemade bows. Abruptly he stopped, a slow smile spreading on his face. How could he have not realized it?

As foul-mouthed, confrontational, and insubordinate as Mileena was, she'd most likely appreciate something just like this.

With renewed vigor he made his way in between the crowd of hundreds of villagers and ducked into one of his craftsmen's huts.

* * *

"What is wrong with you today?"

"Nothing"

"Are you sure? Cause you're acting extra asshole-ish"

"I'm fine!"

"If you say so..."

"_Wench_!"

So I know I might be a little bit crazy-

_bitch you're fucking insane, _the voice cut in. "Who asked you?" I growled.

Anyway, I know I might be crazy, but I'm not stupid. I can tell when people are acting out of the ordinary and the prick is definitely off today. He was marching through the woods with his eyes narrowed into slants and kept glaring back at me every so often. We were heading towards the clearing where our training sessions usually take place.

"Look, it's not that I actually give a damn, but what's got you so uptight?" I asked one last time.

Finally we got to our spot and I prepared to get into my offensive stance but Tvari rounded on me.

"Do you really want to know?" he asked aggravatedly.

I was starting to reconsider, "Well when you put it that way, no. I guess I don't."

He backed away and instead of getting into position, he sat unceremoniously down in a heap. He folded his legs and placed a hand on each thigh.

I was confused, "Um, aren't we gonna train today?"

"No."

"Why not?" I frowned. If we're not going to be doing anything useful then I might as well leave.

Tvari sighed and motioned for me to sit down. "I need to talk to you."

I was flabbergasted; Tvari and I don't just _talk. _We insult one another, we hiss and spit at each other and we always argue but we don't just _talk. _

Warily I sat down far away from him. He stared at nothing for awhile and then spoke.

"You and I. We have our differences, but there is something I'd like to make clear." he began.

"Continue," I urged.

"First of all I'd like to tell you this; Nightwolf cares about you." he said strongly.

"Okay." I drawled. I don't see what that has to do with anything. I crossed my extended legs and picked at my nails.

"Pay attention!" Tvari scolded, "Nightwolf cares about you. I don't know why he does, but it's true."

"Alright you said that already!" I snapped._ The fuck does he think he is_, I scowled.

Tvari's red eye twitched, "That being said, I want you to know that as his friend I'm obligated to look out for him, to do what I can to help him out."

"You're not making any sense," I said bluntly. He paused.

"You're going to leave him, aren't you?" he asked suddenly.

I raised a brow, "What?"

"When the month is out, you're going to demand that he reverse the curse and you're going to be on your merry way, aren't you?" Tvari elucidated impatiently.

I shrugged, "Pretty much." I admitted.

Sure Nightwolf had awoken a lot of new emotions I never knew I had, but I don't think I'm ready to just give up on my plans for revenge and on my previous lifestyle. It wasn't the best way to live but it was the only one I knew. Staying in the village, becoming Nighty's wife...it was all just too much, too surreal. I'll just get my body back and put all this behind me.

Tvari jumped to his feet and I cautiously did the same.

"And that is what I'm talking about!" he snarled, "Nightwolf cares about you and is willing to sacrifice so much for you but you don't even care!"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! It's not that I don't care it's just." I stopped. Why am I even explaining this to him? The prick'll never understand.

"What do you mean he's sacrificing so much?" I diverted.

Tvari started to pace. "I mean what I say! It is a tremendous sacrifice for him to bind himself to you! Do you know how much trouble that will cause the rest of the village?"

"What are talking about? I don't cause trouble" I replied defensively.

"Stupid wench, I'm talking about those who are hunting you!" he said.

I froze.

"You mean you don't know?" he asked in soft incredulity. "The raid on the village that occurred the day I...attacked you," he stated guiltily. I'm sure it wasn't guilt over what he did to me though.

"There was a raid on the village?" I asked skeptically. I sure hadn't heard anything about it.

"Yes. The Tarkatan and his army tried to overtake the village but they were unsuccessful. Their leader had escaped, but soon came back. For you."

"Me?" I repeated.

"Yes, you. He wasn't very sneaky and I caught him lingering around the edge of Nightwolf's territory. I questioned him. I killed him." he stated choppily.

"Well what did he say?" I pressed.

"He said that he had orders from Quan Chi to bring you back alive in exchange for the restoration of his people, if you can call them that." he jibed.

_So stupid! Only an idiot would trust old Paste-Face_, I murmured._ Either that, or Baraka got desperate. I wonder just how far Pastey's gotten in his imperialistic endeavors. _

"Now do you understand the gravity of the situation?" Tvari asked quietly. "Nightwolf was willing to bear the responsibility of protecting you and the village from the added threats that you would attract."

I did understand a little bit. But I've worked for Khan long enough to know that Nightwolf was already at risk seeing as how Khan's extermination squads failed to wipe the shaman and his people out. It would be no surprise if Nighty's on Quan Chi's hit-list as well.

"Are you trying to change my mind? Cause it's not gonna work." I said honestly.

Being here, being with Nightwolf was causing more problems for me. Now that I know I've got Paste-Face on my back I've got to hurry up and get my powers back. Who knows when he'll decide to strike.

Tvari had stopped pacing and frowned in an ugly way, "So you aren't concerned about the travesties you'll leave in your wake, so long as you get what you want," he accused.

He was making me out to be a bad person, which I inevitably was, but it wasn't fair. "Nightwolf and I made a deal, so I'll hold him to it. He said I could leave if I wanted to and that's what I'll do!" I yelled.

"You don't look like the type that has many loved ones. Would you give up the only person who cared about a filthy creature like you just so you can have your petty revenge?" he spat right back.

I ignored the gripping of my heart and the stinging behind my eyes. "What the fuck do you know about revenge? You have your precious immortality and you enhanced abilities; what would you do if you had them ripped away from you?" I shouted.

"I know more about it than you would think," he said, suddenly calm. "I wouldn't turn my back on those who cared about me," he countered.

"What does it matter to you what I do? This is between me and Nightwolf!" I screeched. I couldn't help it, he had really struck a nerve. He basically confirmed what that nasty little voice had been whispering this whole time.

And it hurt.

"Nightwolf is my friend and-" he started to say but I had to cut him short.

"Oh please, don't give me that bullshit. Some shitty friend you are! You lied to him and will probably _keep _lying to him just to cover your ass!" I laughed darkly. "So stop acting so fucking self-righteous cause you're just as bad as I am!"

"_I AM NOTHING LIKE YOU!_" he yelled furiously. He started advancing towards me and I laughed again, right in his face.

"Go ahead, hit me! But if you do you're gonna have to kill me cause I'll tell Nighty all about it in a heartbeat. In fact, I think it's about time he heard the truth." I smirked.

Tvari froze and paled.

"I'm sick of putting up with your prickish, arrogant attitude. You think you're so much better than me but you're not!" I told him.

Again he looked mad enough to kill. "Don't compare me to your kind!"

"My _kind?_ What the fuck is my kind?" I wanted to know. I threw my hands on my hips and waited for him to explain. "_WELL_?"

Tvari twisted his pale lips bitterly. "Your kind. Tarkatans. You monsters. You stole everything from me." He spoke harshly.

"What are you-"

"It was centuries ago, but I'll never forget. My clan were nomads, just like you Tarkatan filth. We lived in relative peace for years in Outworld among creatures like you until you took that away. Your squadrons wiped my clan out in the name of the _emperor _but I survived. And from that day I vowed to avenge them, somehow." he muttered.

"I slayed many of your kind throughout the years but it wasn't enough. Still, I moved on. I left Outworld and ended up here. Nightwolf's village was the first region of Earthrealm I encountered, and I found peace here." he whispered.

He glared now at me, "And now that peace is threatened. This entire village I help protect is being threatened because of you. A filthy Tarkatan."

I took it all in. So that's why he's such an ass. Not that that's a good enough excuse.

"If you haven't noticed, I'm not even full Tarkatan. It's not as if I chose to be part of that damned race anyway." I said raggedly. My throat was raw from screaming at him.

"Yes but you are, by default, one of them. So I wanted to kill you. Nearly every time I was around you I contemplated it." he admitted.

I guess I could relate to that in a way. It only makes sense to want to completely eradicate an entire race who wronged you, right? Eye for and eye.

"Okay so why didn't you?" I asked, "And don't tell me it's because of Nightwolf." I warned.

He eyed me critically, "This isn't just about you. I stopped trying to exact my revenge against the Tarkatans because I knew my actions would affect the rest of the village and put them in danger if the Tarks ever chose to retaliate. And I didn't kill you because I knew I would only hurt Nightwolf." he claimed.

I still didn't believe him. "So what does any of this have to do with me?"

Frustrated, he snarled, "You asked me what I knew of revenge and that's your answer. So when I tell you it's not worth giving up possibly the only person who cares for you, I know what I'm talking about." he said coldly.

There was a rustling in the woods before a lanky figure broke through the trees. It was Elan.

He spared me one of his sweet smiles and came over. He had a letter in his hand with something pink sticking out of one end.

"This is for you Mileena. It's from the chief." he said shyly.

I took it from and and held it in the middle where it bulged. Something large and circular and damp was in the middle of the paper that was folded in thirds, and there were hot pink petals sticking out both ends. I decided not to open it just yet. I wanted privacy.

"Thanks kid," I said with a strained smile. He gave me another one, his were always genuine and bright.

"Remember what I said, Mileena." Tvari said as he left the forest in a whir of leather and blonde hair and foul aura.

I was glad to see him gone.

Elan and I began walking back to civilization in companionable silence. Once again I noticed that he was toned and taut in places he wasn't before. It was like he was getting more defined every time I saw him.

"Elan, how old are you again?" I asked curiously.

"Fifteen." he said casually with his hands in the pockets of his dark brown pants. He wasn't wearing a shirt but he had on thin plates of armor on his shoulders with the straps forming an 'x' across his chest.

"Fifteen? You're so young," I mumbled to myself so he didn't hear me. It should come as no surprise but still. He's just a kid, how did he become a soldier so early?

We got to the village square and I was astounded at the number of people milling about. There was a heavy scent of bread and sweets in the air. Some women were making torches and lanterns while there were men carrying firewood to and fro. Children were running around being playful little monsters, laughing and teasing each other but doing their part picking up trash and carrying supplies to the adults. Everybody was working together.

"What's going on?" I asked Elan.

He had a grin on his face and was waving at some of his comrades. Jovially he replied, "Everyone's preparing for the Harvest Festival. It's an annual celebration for the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter."

He pointed to the men, most of whom were soldiers, "They're gathering firewood for everyone in the village, to make sure we all have enough for the Festival and for the upcoming winter." he explained.

Then Elan gestured to the women and girls, "They're building the lanterns that will be used to decorate the part of the forest the Festival will be held around. Near the barracks, at the Northern edge." he said excitedly.

"And these ones," he grinned at the little kids, "are just helping out wherever they can."

I couldn't help but smile, too. Seeing these people all working together and getting along and enjoying themselves, it was nice. Tvari's words rung in my head. If I leave, I might not ever be a part of this, but if I stay here with Nightwolf, there's a chance that maybe I would be accepted into the community. I chose not to think about that right now.

"Well, well, well. What have we got here?" came a vaguely familiar voice.

Beside me Elan stiffened and I glanced up at the source of his sudden anxiety. It was those three thugs from earlier. Oh great.

"Hey Runt, I didn't know you had such a pretty friend," the leader joked with his eyes on me.

Subtly Elan moved himself in front of me and hardened his baby brown eyes. "I'm escorting her to the chief." He said neutrally.

The three men chuckled and I could tell they weren't taking Elan seriously so I grabbed his hand and frowned at them.

"Come on, Elan, let's go." I sniffed, and wordlessly he followed.

Once we were a good distance away I let his hand go and crossed my arms. "You know them?"

"Yeah. They outrank me. I don't like them much, they always treat me like a kid." he said sourly. It was cute, the way he was looking so indignant.

"Well you do look like a kid," I teased.

He smiled sheepishly, "I guess so. But I can be just as good as the rest of the troops are, even though I'm the youngest and they always pick on me."

"Yeah, I bet you are," I patronized. He didn't seem to notice.

He led me on glumly, "They're no good. You should stay away from them." he advised.

I gave him a short laugh, "Yeah, I know. I ran into them earlier," I said.

Elan gave me a cursory glance, "Really? They didn't hurt you, did they?"

"No..." I answered slowly. "Why do you ask?"

"Because like I said, they're no good." he said simply.

"I know, but why would you care if they did bother me?" I persisted.

Elan looked shocked, "I would care because you're my friend." he declared, then added, "I mean, I know I've only known you for a few weeks but I think you're one of my friends."

I was amazed at this. "What makes a friend?" I asked curiously.

He struggled for the right answer, "Um. Well. I guess it's somebody you care about, and like, and talk with, I mean _enjoy_ talking with, and someone you enjoy being around, uh, somebody you look out for, and have fun with." he put together.

I pursed my lips, "Well I guess I'm not much of a friend, then. We don't really have fun together and we don't often hang out."

He shook his head, "That's okay. There's lots of different types of friends. You're my special kind of friend. I look out for you, and I care about you, and I like...I like to talk to you and be around you." he said the last part more to the ground than me.

I laughed lightly again. "Alright, that's good enough for me, then."

I didn't want to think about what I'd do when I was gone, and didn't have Elan's soft smiles and innocent friendship to look forward to anymore. It made my stomach hurt thinking about not seeing him again, so I didn't think about it.

"Here's the chief's hut." he said, stopping in front of the moderate dwelling. "I have to go back to the square now. I suppose I'll see you around?" he said unsurely.

I nodded but couldn't force another smile after my depressing turn of thoughts, "Yeah. See you round" I said.

I watched him bound off and sighed sadly, then turned and entered the hut. There was no bouquet waiting for me on the table like last time, but I did have the letter from Nighty. I wonder what it says. I went to the bedroom to read it alone.

Eagerly I opened the paper and was greeted by a giant pink flower. It was like a huge daisy and it smelled really good. I picked it up carefully and saw that the stem was coiled up below it. I sat on the rough pallet and put the flower aside delicately.

_Mileena, _

_I want you to meet me by the lake as soon as you finish reading this. _

_I have a surprise for you._

_Please don't eat anything. _

_Love, _

_Nightwolf_

Is it so bad that I had a giddy feeling building up inside me and manifesting itself in the form a goofy smile? If so then the silly laugh that bubbled through my lips had to be absolutely scandalous. I re-read the letter again and again, and then grinned.

Could he be more obvious? He says not to eat so he must be planning to have food with him, we'll probably be eating together.

Like a date.

Why am I nervous?

Oh yeah; when Nighty and I are alone together...things happen. And if I'm going to be leaving soon, it'd be better for both of us if those things stopped happening. As good as it feels, it'll only complicate things later on. With this in mind, I grabbed the flower off the bed and tucked it back inside the letter. I folded it back up and stuck it under the pillow.

* * *

Now that it was nearly pitch black outside and it was quiet all around, Rain navigated in the darkness around the two mortals hunched against a tree and moved over to his partner, who was sitting in a common meditation position with his cloak still on. Rain sat down and scooted close to Ermac.

Very close.

Slowly, Ermac turned their head towards the demi-god. "**...Can we help you?" **

Rain quickly shushed him and glanced warily at the mortals. "Would you be quiet!" He stage whispered. "They might hear us"

Ermac shook their head and sighed, "Just because we have enhanced hearing capabilities doesn't mean they do as well. **What do you want, punk, we're trying to meditate"**

Rain pushed his knees up to his chest and leaned in close to the cowl of Ermac's robes. In a soft voice he said, "Why did you want them to stay with us? Don't you think they'll try and attack us or sabotage the mission?"

"**No. **They might have information regarding the half-breed." Ermac explained. Rain knew he meant Mileena.

"What if they don't know anything?" Rain inquired.

"Then it will not make a difference." Ermac shrugged. Rain was still suspicious.

"That can't be the only reason why you saddled them with us. You could have questioned them earlier without going to all this trouble. What are you up to?"

Chuckling creepily Ermac said, "I almost forgot how perceptive you are, **you snot." ****  
**

**"**Well?" Rain demanded.

Ermac sneered, "If you must know, I was planning on leaving you with them so they can lead you to the shaman's village."

"What?" Rain spluttered loudly, then quietly asked, "How do you know they're going to the shaman's village? And what makes you think they'll take me? Or that I'll go with a couple of-"

"**You will go." **Ermac commanded, "Just tell them you're visiting one of your distant cousins." he added.

"How come you're not going? Are you tryna' to ditch me?" Rain asked, affronted.

_If only it were that easy, _Ermac thought. "I have other matters to attend to. **We'll catch up later." **

Rain eyed him knowingly in the dark. "Yeah right, I bet you're just trying to rendezvous with that shadow wraith."

Darkly Ermac asked, "How did you? Never mind, **if you'll excuse us." **They said, getting up to leave.

"Where are you going?" Rain asked.

"**None of your business, you nosy little shit. **Tell the mortals that something came up and that you want to travel to the village with them." they ordered.

Rain rolled his eyes and huffed, "And what if they say no?"

**"Then you're out of luck." **They snapped. "They should say yes.** Make up some sob story about your distant cousin and how you really need to get to that village.**" Ermac suggested.

Rain knew it wouldn't be hard to make up a lie but he just didn't want to do this. If only he knew the way to the village, then he could just teleport there. He was basically covering for Ermac and it wasn't fair. _Damn his double-minded ass_, Rain growled and began pacing in the drenching weather, not minding at all that he was getting soaked from head to toe. All around him the rain grew more boisterous.

Not too far from him Sonya and Jax were watching the demi-god intently, pretending to be asleep. They, too, were huddled close to each other under a wide-bottomed oak that kept them clear from the downpour.

"That's weird. Where do you think his friend got off to?" Sonya whispered. Jax only shrugged.

"Who knows. They look like a couple of strange ones. Look at him, just standing there." Jax marveled, "He'll be sick as a dog in the morning." he predicted.

* * *

"Wait a minute-you want us to take you _where_?"

"To the shaman's village."

"What shaman?"

"Uh, Nightwolf. The shaman Nightwolf's village."

"Why do _we_ have to take you?"

"I don't know where it is"

"But I thought you said your grandma lives there"

"No, he said his Uncle lives there"

"It's my cousin! My _distant_ cousin"

"So if it's your cousin, why don't you know the way?"

"I uh, I...forgot?"

Rain could only watch while the two mortals mulled over what he had told them, hoping that they would buy his lie. He was usually very good at this, but the way those two fired off questions made him feel like he was in the hot seat. He didn't work well under pressure.

"Okay," Sonya said at last, "We'll take you. Just don't be a nuisance." she warned.

Rain scoffed, "Please," he muttered, "I don't get on anyone's nerves." he claimed. "Well, except for that ass Erma_c" _he added.

"What?" Jax asked absently.

"Nothing," Rain answered quickly.

* * *

Meanwhile, in the Netherealm, Ermac felt the distinct burning of his ears and had to hold in a sneeze. _**Someone must be bad-mouthing us,**_they figured.

* * *

"I was beginning to think you would not come," Nightwolf said solemnly, though on his face was the brightest smile I had ever seen on a man.

Shao Khan with a hot tub full of women ran a close second, though.

That smile he had was contagious and I ended up catching the damn thing even though I didn't want to. I almost decided not to come, but in the end I resolved to come and act all serious and detached so that Nightwolf would be put off. Now here he was, ruining my efforts with his heart-melting smile.

I strode over to him and held up the letter. "Cute." I remarked.

Nightwolf laughed heartily. "I'm glad you think so. Come on." he said, motioning for me to follow him into the woods.

"Wait what? I thought we were meeting here, by the lake" I said while moving my arms in a wide arc towards the placid body of water at the edge of the gentle slope of grass.

Nightwolf smirked and backtracked over to me. He grabbed my hand and said, "No. But if I would've told you to come to the woods you probably wouldn't have known where I was talking about."

I think I barely heard him; I was more focused on how warm his hand was and how sweaty and disgusting mine were. I quickly wiped my free hand on my, er, his pants. These pants might as well have been mine, they clung to my thighs and legs and I couldn't imagine him wearing them. Wait I could; ooh, yeah maybe I shouldn't have. Now my face was just as hot as my hands.

Luckily Nightwolf was paying attention to navigation through the forest and dragging me along and so he didn't see how flustered I was. Good.

"Here it is." He said, halting as we broke through the clearing. I let go of his hand and clapped both of mine to my face.

"Oh wow. Jeez, do you know how cheesy this is?" I said through my manual cage. I laughed and brought my hands to my sides.

"I am aware, yes." Nightwolf chuckled.

"Gosh, I'm embarrassed _for_ you, Nighty." I taunted.

All jokes aside, it was actually pretty stunning. He had a small fire going with a spit set up and some tasty-smelling meat cooking. There were unleavened cakes of bread and fruit and a short skin of wine with two plain cups sitting beside it. Simple, but still nice.

"So this is a date," I confirmed to myself.

"Something of that nature," Nightwolf responded; I wasn't expecting him to answer. "Go ahead and sit down. You must be hungry," he said wryly.

"Yeah, I wonder why?" I said lightly and automatically sat across from him with the fire separating us. I didn't want to get too close. My body's already starting to spaz out.

Nightwolf sat down and started serving both of our plates. I noticed the plates were woven out of some kind of material. I liked it. There were a lot of things I liked about this place, the main thing being how natural it was, and how everything felt like it was in unity or harmony. Everyone did their part to keep things moving along.

There was no one getting used here.

I made short work of the food and relished in how good it was, I mean, this was damn _good_! I was just about to down my wine when I noticed Nightwolf hadn't touched some parts of his food.

"You gonna, um..." I pointed and trailed, and with a good-natured laugh he handed his plate to me. I grinned and dug in.

"Mileena," he started to say, "I uh, want you to know that I really care about you and no matter," he coughed hesitantly.

With a mouthful of food I blinked and gazed at him, doe-eyed. "Hm?"

"No matter what," he continued, "I'll always be here for you. No matter what you choose to do."

The food didn't go down so easy all of a sudden and I swallowed hard. "You said that already" I mumbled dismally. How am I supposed to ignore my own feelings if he keeps bringing them up again?

"I know our time together was short, but I'm glad to have spent this month with you." he admitted honestly.

"Yeah. It wasn't so bad," I stated aloofly. Hopefully he'll get the message and leave it alone. I don't want to talk about our relationship right now.

"So what will you do after the month is out?" he asked quietly.

I sighed. Well, here goes, "I'm leaving." I said shortly.

Cue awkward silence.

"I see." was all he said.

I could feel the disappointment rolling off him in waves and it made me sick to my stomach. I wanted to take it back, to just say 'syke!' and laugh and go back to having a nice happy lunch. But I convinced myself that I couldn't, that this was the way it would have to be.

"Well...I'll just have to make the most of our time together now." he said deviously. He was staring at me darkly and I knew what it meant.

I licked my chapped lips. "H-How about a toast?" I stammered. Reluctantly he pushed away the desire in his eyes.

"To what?" he smiled easily, like nothing had even happened.

I paused and looked up, then replied, "To us."

He nodded, pouring himself a fresh cup. He held it in the air and instead of moving it towards mine, he used his free hand to clutch my chin and laid a smooth kiss on my lips.

It was short but still incredibly hot and when he pulled away he stroked my lips with his thumb and clinked his cup to mine softly.

"To us," he smirked, sitting back down and downing its entire contents.

I sat dumbfounded, holding my full cup in mid-air with the taste of fresh wine on my tongue.

Finally the sound of Nightwolf's voice jolted me back to reality and I saw him holding something wrapped in thin paper and tied with twine.

"I got this for you," he said, "I know it's probably not what you're used to, but I hope you'll like it." He stated. He then gave the package to me.

Bad idea.

I nearly dropped it in the fire, but luckily I caught it and scooted further away from the little blaze. I untied the string numbly and let the paper fall open in my lap. Inside were two little slices of Heaven.

I jumped to my feet and clutched one heavenly hash in each hand. "Nightwolf! Where did you find these?" I shrieked excitedly.

"I got them from on of my craftsman. I'm glad you like them." he beamed.

Like them? This was so fucking amazing! I really could just kiss him right now! That thought alone sobered me up. I placed my hands to my chest and nearly shed tears.

"Nightwolf, thank you! This is the best! I." I closed my eyes and laughed shortly, "I _really, really really REALLY _appreciate this." I told him fervently.

"You're welcome," he said pleasantly, standing up and lumbering over to me. "But a pair of sai's aren't the only things I can give you," he said lowly.

I really should have done something about his hands on my waist, or his lips on my own, but right now I really could care less. To hell with trying to distance myself; the man gave me my sai's back, for fuck's sake! Granted, they were a bit rusty, but they were mine! I'd know them anywhere!

We sat back down next to the fire much, much later while the afternoon gave way to the dusky, chilly evening. Upon the shaman's tacit request I made myself comfortable under his arm and tilted my head for one last kiss. I stared lovingly at the two slim metal weapons in my hands and thought evilly to myself, _Somebody's gonna' pay for giving me hell these last few weeks. _

* * *

**A/N: Hmm, I think I feel a brawl coming up in the next chapter...Anyway, tell me what you think, and if I need to fix ****anything****. Remember now, reviews are what keeps me going! Until next time,**

**~DymondGold~ **


	12. Empowered

**A/N: There will be a mild amount of gore in this chapter, so be warned! It's really not that bad, though, it's kind of like 'weird-gore' so yeah.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything MK-related; it belongs to Ed, John, and Johnny(Boon, Tobias, and Vogel)**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter Twelve**

* * *

If I had to rate myself on a scale of 1 to 10, I'd have to settle for at _least_ a fucking fifteen. I looked good, damn good. There was a reason why, too.

Today was the day I put my plan into action; I call it, Operation Stick it to the Prick. I was going to catch him off guard with my sexy sexiness and then make my move. If I had to rely on strength alone, that would be pushing it; although I have gotten better and faster in these few weeks, I still am no full match for the prick. However, now that I've got my sai's back, I'm gonna give him hell.

I had on the tiny linen shorts I got from the healer that covered only my ass and some tight white bandages that bound up my chest. The outfit, if you could call it that, left very little to the imagination. That's just what I need.

I reached up on top of the dresser and grabbed one of Nightwolf's larger shirts that I'd cut down the middle and made into a sort of cover-up. I wrapped the flannel flaps around me and was glad that it came down almost to my knees. I held it closed and shuffled over to the bathroom to freshen up.

After I washed my face and brushed my dull teeth, I took Nightwolf's comb and tried to tease my hair. It came out looking like I'd had a run-in with an electric chair. With a sigh I tried to comb it back down flat but it refused to lay down and looked all tangled. Frustrated, I slammed the comb back down onto the seat and growled. Fuck it.

Moving on to the bedroom, I collected my sai's and stuck them through the loop of my shorts before concealing them under the cover-up I wore. I slipped my feet into my moccasins and was about to leave when an idea struck me.

Quietly I tip-toed over to the shaman and bent down over his slumbering form, placing a kiss on his cheek. I was tempted to lay another one on him elsewhere, but changed my mind.

Once I was outside the hut I thought about leaving him a note like he always does for me but decided not to. What would I say?

_Hey Nighty, I'm off to beat the ever-loving shit out of your general. Be back whenevv! Love, Mileena._

Only I wouldn't say love, because I didn't love him, and that would be weird. I don't want him to get the wrong idea or feel lead-on. I shook my head and strode purposefully through the waking village. When I got to the Northern edge I approached the barracks and listened outside the wooden door. I could hear a ruckus going on in there.

I grinned and took a deep breath, then kicked the door open and let it bang against the wall. It stunned everybody into silence.

All the soldiers were standing up in the aisle-way that was in the middle of two rows on bunks against each two walls and all their eyes were on me. I picked out a pair of alert ruby ones from the rest and made my way toward their owner.

The soldiers parted the way for me and I marched up to the prick, making sure to sway my hips exaggeratedly. I stopped about a foot away from him. For a moment, all was silent. I stared into Tvari's fiery red eyes and smirked.

"Leave us." he commanded, and all the soldiers tripped over themselves trying to get out of there fast enough. When I heard the heavy door slam behind them I advanced.

I circled Tvari once and stroked one of his arms.

"Wench." he glowered. "What is the meaning of this?"

I giggled and circled him again, swatting at his behind, then swinging my arms around his neck I pushed my body up against his and leaned up on my toes and whispered in his ear.

"Wouldn't you like to know." I think he was blushing.

Without further, I kneed him hard in between his legs, right in the balls. He may be immortal, but he was by no means immune to _that_ kind of pain. He fell down hard and squeezed his legs together, then reached for one of my ankles.

I jerked back and kicked him in the neck and then ran, but this time, I wasn't running away. I knew he'd follow, and that's just what I wanted him to do. I kept him at a close distance and hurried to the familiar clearing in the woods. When he was about to break through I held my arm out rigidly, catching him under his chin.

I guffawed spiritedly, "I can't believe you fell for that!"

He rose indignantly to his feet and was about to have at me but that's when I dropped the bomb; literally. I let the cover-up fall to the forest floor, watching as it fluttered innocently to the ground.

Tvari moved no more, once again stunned speechless. He only ogled for a second but that was all I needed. I came up fast and kneed him twice in the nose and blood flowed instantly. I was about to kick him in the face but he caught my leg and swung me around towards a tree. I thought quick and used my momentum to launch my body by my hands against the tree. My outstretched feet connected solidly with his back and he stumbled forward but didn't fall.

He turned swiftly and punched me in the stomach and even though I hurriedly leaped backwards, he still got a hit in. I forgot how fast he was. He tried to sweep my feet from under me but I back-flipped away and landed on my feet. Then he came at me with a torrent of blows. Thanks to my sai's I was able to parry his flying fists blow-for-blow and even got a swipe in across his bare stomach. He hissed and retreated, and I grabbed his shoulders and hopped over his back.

Rapidly I clenched my thighs around his waist and squeezed his neck in the valley of my elbow. He gagged and lumbered around with me on his back until he got wise and fell deliberately onto the ground backwards. It felt like I had the wind knocked out of me.

Tvari smirked through his pain and wrapped his hands around my throat. He had his weight on my legs and his forearms dug into my ribs. I clawed viciously at his hands but it did no good. I was losing oxygen and fast.

Too bad for him, this is when my primitive instincts began to kick in. As quick as lightening I grabbed one of my sai's that lay on the grass near my head and jammed it deep in his face before yanking it harshly out.

Tvari roared and retracted his hands from my throat. He groped at his face and yelled out in agony. I ignored him in favor of sucking in the fresh breath I'd been denied for those painstakingly long seconds.

Shakily I stood to my feet and dropped the sai I'd been holding. I leaned against a skinny pole of a tree for support and tried to catch my breath. Meanwhile Tvari was still spazzing out, screaming and gnashing his teeth. I looked down at my sai and saw why. Perched on the tip of the gleaming metal weapon was a bright, ruby-red eyeball. I pulled it off by its bloody artery.

I poked it. It was squishy and moist. I think I'll keep it.

I pocketed the organ and walked casually up to the currently inept immortal still flailing about. I chopped at one of his pressure points and he fell at my feet.

"Hm. That was one of your tricks, General." I said cheekily.

He grunted and hissed but couldn't move. I should probably go get that healer before he bleeds to death or has some irreparable damage done to his empty socket.

Nah. He'll be fine.

Some particularly nasty insults were shot my way and I clucked my tongue disapprovingly with my hands on my hips.

"Now, General, that's no way to talk to a lady!" I reproved, then laughed. This was so great! I forgot how exhilarating it feels to win!

I kicked him in the ribs and heard him grunt out some more curses.

"What was that? I didn't quite hear you." I said innocuously.

I really could do some cruel things to him now that's he's temporarily paralyzed and at my mercy. I told him this and he paled and quieted.

I felt fucking high! Having this much control over the prick, it was beautiful. I collected my sai's from the grass and hovered over him with them.

"Now Tvari, this'll just be our little secret, 'kay?" I grinned maliciously.

I placed the shiny tip of one tool above the iris of his good eye. He froze. With another uncontrolled laugh I delivered one final blow to his groin and left him groaning in the middle of the woods.

This was definitely one of my better days.

I put my sai's back into their belt-loop holsters and sashayed through the village square, smiling widely at any and everyone who caught my eye. I felt giddy and recharged and now that I had a taste of victory I wanted more.

I got to Nightwolf's hut just as the sun was reaching its peak and padded through the house silently. In the hall I opened the closet and took out a towel, then went and locked myself in the bathroom. I ran a nice hot bath and stripped away the measly clothes covering my body. I dipped my foot in and found the water scalding. Perfect. Once I was fully submerged, I let the hot steamy goodness work its magic on my aching muscles and throbbing skin. It felt good.

I didn't have any injuries for the first time since I began training with Tvari and I chalked it up to the whole element of surprise thing I had working for me. _My plan was flawless and was a total success,_ I thought in glee. I dove lower underwater and smiled from ear to ear. I don't remember being so happy before. Well, last night made me feel pretty good, too.

Being in the forest with Nightwolf around a quiet fire, sitting in his arms and listening to his thumping heartbeat while he held my hand in his. Yeah, that felt really nice.

_Forget about it, _the voice urged. _Focus on your training. Getting close to that shaman will only slow you down and make you weak! Weak like your sister Kita-_

"No! I'm not weak! I'll never be weak! Get out of my head!" I cried, clutching both my temples.

With the mood now spoiled I washed myself speedily and dried off. I wrapped the towel around me and sulked to the bedroom. I dropped my towel and got dressed in a pair of Nightwolf's tights I'd altered earlier, these were black instead of blue, and another of his black shirts I'd cut off, leaving my stomach exposed. I pushed my feet into the black moccasins and looked at Nightwolf. I stared indecisively at him for a second, then left.

My feet carried me from the hut to the healer's tent and I swore under my breath. Why was I doing this? I should just let the prick rot out there in the woods. Against my better judgement I ducked under the flap of the tent and was instantly surprised.

Sitting on one of the textile mats was none other than Elan, looking like he'd been raked over the coals and hit by a bus. No, actually it wasn't that bad, but that's the sort of reaction it gave me.

His arm was bandaged up to the elbow and cradled in a sling, and his chest bore cuts and scratches. He winced as Imala the healer put some clear-colored salve on one his eyes, the one that was blackened.

"Mileena!" he exclaimed when he saw me enter. I saw him smiling congenially up at me and frowned.

"Hey kid. What happened to you?" I asked a bit acerbically. The thought that someone would hurt such a sweet kid like Elan had me burning up.

Elan looked away, "I got in a fight," he muttered.

"With who?" I demanded.

He blushed and looked down, "Nobody. It doesn't matter" he mumbled.

I rolled my eyes, "Tell me who it was so I can kick their ass"

Elan blushed and looked embarrassed. "I don't think that's a good idea."

I folded my arms, "Why not?"

"I'd rather you stay away from them." Elan admitted.

I met his brown eyes knowingly, "It was those three soldiers, wasn't it? Just wait til I see those bastards-" I was about to threaten.

"No!" Elan cried out. "Mileena, they were talking bad about you, saying all kinds of...disgusting things that they wanted to do to you this morning and I couldn't stand it. I challenged them, and they ganged up on me. I think you should stay away before they hurt you." he warned concernedly.

I scoffed, "Don't worry, kid. I can handle myself."

"Alright, but please don't seek them out," Elan begged. He didn't seem as worried about himself as he was about me. I brushed him off.

"Okay, whatever, I won't." I lied. I felt guilty when his tense expression melted into one of complete trust and ease.

"Thank you," he beamed, and turned back to the healer.

I was about to go and hunt the punks down when I remembered something.

"Hey Elan, I think you might wanna' check on your General when you get the chance. You'll find him chilling in the woods." I stated offhandedly.

* * *

A day and a half traveling with their 'guest' had really driven Sonya and Jax to appreciate the little things in life, like silence; it was as precious and as rare as gold. Their temporary companion could find fault in every situation they encountered, and hadn't stopped complaining yet.

His latest injury: it was 'too damn hot'. Sonya couldn't take it anymore. She stopped in her monotonous trek across the plains and glowered at the seemingly young man.

"So what if it's hot? Don't you think we're all hot? What are you gonna do, melt?" she scoffed in irritation.

Rain looked affronted, truly slighted. He was offended and indignant but gratefully, silent. For his part, he didn't want to say anything that would blow his cover and he was pretty sure, _How dare you use that tone on an Edenian royal you gum-less worm! _would clue them in as to just who they were carting around. There weren't too many Edenian royals still alive today. Ironically, many of them fell at the hands of Khan's extermination squads that were led by the snooty prince.

They droned on for another hour until they finally reached the village, just around high noon. Jax pulled a little half-smile upon seeing their destination, and grabbed Sonya around the shoulders.

"Hey Sone, we made it! Now we're that much closer to saving Liu Kang" he said optimistically.

Rain's abrupt jolt of recognition went unnoticed by the pair.

_Liu Kang, I've fought against him before. He's that Chinese warrior that the elder god Raiden adores, _Rain thought to himself.

_**So you made it,**_a bold voice erupted bemusedly. Rain jumped and looked around him for the source of it. The two mortals were still conferring amongst themselves and they all three stood at the top of a hill that overlooked the edge of the village.

"Where are you?" Rain called, earning him a suspicious look from Sonya and a weirded-out glance from Jax.

"Man, who are you talking to?" the bionically enhanced soldier asked.

_**I'm in your mind, dipshit.** _

"Oh. You're using your tele-kinesis thingy, aren't you?" Rain said, nodding his head as he remembered his partners ability.

_**Would you shut your mouth! They can hear you!** _

Only now did Rain look back at the two Earthrealm kombatants and take them into consideration.

"I have to go now." he told them. He dashed off down the hill towards the large log-cabin like building on the outskirts of the village.

Neither Sonya nor Jax tried to stop him. They didn't care where he was going, so long as he was gone.

"What a crazy dude," Jax remarked, shaking his head.

"I'll say." Sonya agreed, "let's get to Nightwolf and see if he can help."

Meanwhile, Rain was having a hard time focusing on the voice in his head and running straight.

_**Stop before you run into a tree. I need your undivided attention,** _Ermac demanded.

Obediently Rain stopped but not without sending a hateful mental glare through to his partner. Then he began thinking of a loud, tinny ringing bell noise.

_**Cut it out or I'm decorating the woods with your grey matter,** _Ermac threatened.

"Just tell me where you are already!" Rain barked.

_**See that forest in front of you? Across from the wood building?** _

"Yeah. What about it?"

_**Go in there, dumbass.**_

Rain gritted his teeth but did as Ermac said.

_**I can see that,** _Ermac noted in reference to the violent thoughts that were being depicted in the demi-god's head.

"Good." Rain muttered. "I'm in here, now what?" he asked after stepping though the dense layer of trees.

_**Take a left.**_ Rain continued in that direction.

_**Alright now stop; go right about five or six feet,** _they instructed.

Rain did so and began to feel traces of the aura Ermac was emitting. He could tell he was close.

_**Go left exactly eighteen paces,** _Ermac ordered with just a hint of excitement in their sketchy voice.

"What is this, a treasure hunt?" Rain scoffed but did like Ermac told him. He stepped forward fifteen, sixteen, seventeen paces and promptly found himself ten feet under.

He'd fallen in a hole.

At first he was shell-shocked because he'd hit his head on his way down before landing painfully onto his back. He stared up, blinking rapidly with his mouth agape. Then Ermac peeked their head above the opening.

"_YOU_! You _BASTARD_!" Rain roared, scrambling to his feet. He teleported himself out of the hole in a watery whirlwind and re-appeared in front of the snickering malevolent host.

**"Are we really to blame for your gullibility? **We can't believe you _fell_ for that: get it?" Ermac chuckled.

_SPLASH_

Ermac's amusement was cut short as ten gallons of water drenched them from head to toe. Frowning minutely they gave their victim only a few seconds to laugh and relish in their short-lived victory before propelling him through the trunks of several trees.

They approached the fallen prince some meters away.

**"We will not be joining you in this mission." **Ermac stated as if they weren't soaking wet and Rain weren't lying crippled on the forest floor.

"The hell is that supposed to mean?" Rain bit out with a mouthful of bark and twigs and dirt. "You're not going to chill with that Noob while I do all the dirty work, are you?"

Once again, Rain was making it sound like Ermac was actually enjoying spending time with that gloomy wraith.

**"**We do not seek out Noob Saibot's company for the reasons you presume. There are important matters that require our attention. **You better not breathe a word of this to Quan Chi." **Ermac growled menacingly.

Rain struggled to sit up, "What are you planning, Ermac? Tell me or I'll alert the sorcerer. You won't be able to stop me," Rain boasted.

**"That's what you think," **Ermac stated darkly, "We are not obligated to tell you anything."

Still Rain pestered, "Are you going to overthrow Quan Chi? Are you planning an uprising with Noob? Will you take over Outworld and Earthrealm, too?"

"Enough!" Ermac bellowed. They hovered in the air with their arms regally folded and their feet pointed downward. "We will tell you, but if you relay this information..." they trailed, leaving the rest of the threat open to Rain's imagination.

When it came to torture and punishment, Rain knew Ermac could get really creative. He gulped uneasily.

"I won't say anything, now tell me!" he managed not to stammer, although he had broken out in a cold sweat.

Ermac slowly recited, "It has come to Noob Saibot's attention that Quan Chi's imperialistic ideations aren't limited to any number of realms and that the Netherealm may soon be under attack."

Rain smirked, "Yeah, I wonder who planted that piece of paranoia in his mind," he said knowingly.

**"Silence! **Therefore, he has found it prudent to join forces with us and put an end to the emperor's reign before things have the chance to get out of hand. **He's accruing too much power," **Ermac remarked.

"So how are we gonna' stop him?" Rain asked.

**"We?" **Ermac repeated derisively, "We never said anything about _you_ joining us." they spat.

Rain stood in objection, "But-"

"We have no use for a _traitor_ like you among our ranks," Ermac disdainfully interjected.

Rain's retort was caught in his throat as the words hit home. Ermac glared down at him.

"Finish the mission, Rain, **then go back to being Quan Chi's little bitch 'til he gets tired of you or you swap allegiances; whichever comes first" **Ermac cruelly jeered. He created a portal and stepped haughtily through it, leaving the bitter Edenian behind.

Rain dug his fists into his pockets and seethed. "He's the bitch! He's the one Quan Chi was always complimenting and rewarding!"

He kicked at any small rocks, branches, or animals that crossed his path. "I'm not fit to be among their ranks? I'll show him. I'll finish this mission successfully, I'll bring the emperor Mileena's head on a pike, then Quan Chi'll _have_ to promote me" he reasoned.

"And once he finds out how worthy I am, he'll start to trust me more. Then that amulet will be mine in no time." he grinned.

It was a goal of his to obtain Shinnok's amulet from Quan Chi, for it granted the possessor unbridled growth in their current abilities. With it, Rain would increase his strength and magnitude ten-fold, and then he'd be able to confront Ermac.

"We'll see who'll be laughing then," he vowed. "First thing's first," he said. "I have to get rid of Mileena." He stopped in his angry hike and stroked his chin. He tried to come up with a plan but was unfruitful.

"Hm," he said, "This might be harder than I thought."

* * *

For once, Nightwolf had slept in past his usual hour and he couldn't say he was complaining. His body was well-rested and he felt more at ease. It was almost noon though, so people would probably be looking for him. He was the chief, he couldn't just go laze around in bed all day.

Regretfully he looked at the empty space where Mileena was. _Where has she gone? _he wondered idly.

He got up and straightened the blankets over the pallet. He sauntered over to the dresser and dug through his drawer until he found something that wasn't cut up, torn, or otherwise defiled by Mileena. He smiled at the thought. He really didn't mind her wearing his clothes. They looked good on her. And every time he saw her with them on his 'beast' would swell up with pride.

**I do,** it confirmed happily.

Nightwolf winced upon hearing it and wished for the umpteenth time that it would devolve back into simple, non-vocal urges.

He headed to the bathroom to clean himself and get presentable. It was no surprise that Mileena was already back on his mind. He wondered where she was again, and if she was okay. He was looking forward to spending more time with her later on today.

**Yes, and perhaps getting to know her more, **the beast remarked deviously. It supplied Nightwolf with a healthy dose of suggestive images as to what that 'getting to know her' would entail.

Nightwolf blanched and shut his eyes against the projections that invaded his mind's eye. _Will you stop that? _

**Why? _You_ know you want her, _I_ know you want her; there's nothing to be ashamed of!**

_Taking her on the kitchen table is nothing to be ashamed of? _Nightwolf questioned sardonically.

**Hell no! That would be nice, don't you think? **

No, Nightwolf thought stiffly. That was never going to happen and he shouldn't even want for that to happen.

**But you do want that to happen: am I right or am I right? **

_You're wrong! _Nightwolf vehemently denied. He would never debase himself or Mileena by doing...that on the table. It was crude and undignified. If he were ever to do anything like that, he would have the decency to do it in bed.

**You're right. Her first time should be in bed. We'll save the table for later**

If anyone were to peek into Nightwolf's hut at that moment, they'd probably be wondering why he was clutching fistfuls of his hair against his temples with a bleak scowl on his face, chanting the Apache equivalent of fml.

There was a knock at his front door.

He shoved the beast back into the prison of his psyche and made his way down the hall to open it. When he did, he saw three figures waiting for him. One was a border guard who spoke diligently.

"They wanted to speak with you, sir." he stated. Nightwolf nodded and dismissed him, then moved aside to let the other two people in.

"Miss Blade, Mister Briggs." he greeted politely, then knowingly asked, "What happened?"

It wasn't that he was bitter or anything, but Nightwolf knew that people didn't seek him out unless they wanted something from him. Nobody stopped by to see how things were doing in the village or to say hello and have a meal, not since his immediate kin were all killed. He had no friends, save for Tvari, and that was just how things were. He learned to accept it.

Until he'd met Mileena. In her he found a friend. He could talk to her at home, share meals with her, hold her in his arms in the woods next to a gentle campfire, sleep next to her at night and somehow wake up with her tucked under him. He wasn't so lonely with her around, but unfortunately he was close to losing her.

Sonya and Jax had taken a seat on one of the stuffed mats in the den. Nightwolf sat Indian-style (no pun intended) on a plain woven mat across from them.

"Well Nightwolf, we came to you because about a week ago we were getting some reports of other-worldly activity here in Earthrealm." Sonya explained. She didn't look as if she wanted to go on, so Jax filled in for her.

"We went to investigate, and we found that sorcerer wreaking havok all over the place; you know the one, tall and powdery-white with those freakish tattoos and lips that look like he's been chain-smoking in a past life" Jax described with a frown painted on his face.

"Quan Chi" Nightwolf murmured.

Jax nodded, "That's the one. Anyway, he attacked us and used some kind of voodoo magic spell on two of our team members; one died, and the other one's in the ER. He's in pretty bad shape but he's still kicking" Jax said positively.

Nightwolf immediately knew that Quan Chi must have used the same technique on these latest victims as he did on Mileena. He noticed it stripped the victim of their powers if they had any, but since these were humans, he could understand why one of them perished. They had no powers to take, so it must have sucked away their life essence.

"Who was the one to have survived?" Nightwolf asked.

"Liu Kang," Sonya told him, "he's in a coma right now. We wanted to know if you would be able to help him"

Nightwolf closed his eyes. "What makes you think I would be able to help him?" He was only testing them; of course he could undo the curse. To him it was child's play. He had the power of the spirits at his very fingertips.

Sonya floundered for a moment, "Uh, well I, um," she cleared her throat, "We ran into Mileena about a month ago and she told us that she was heading here to get you to undo a curse for her."

"And you believe it is the same curse that afflicts your friend?" he asked with his eyes still shut.

"Yeah," Jax said.

Nightwolf let his mind wander to Mileena. His beautiful, violent, foul-mouthed Mileena; no she wasn't his, but he wished she was. He felt like there was so much more to the girl than just the tough, crazy exterior she showed everyone. He wanted to get to know her, the real Mileena, and he wanted to spend an eternity trying to figure her out. He sighed.

"Give me two days and we will depart to see about your friend." Nightwolf said resolutely.

Two days. That would be the day of the Festival. That would give him enough time to let the village know of his departure and to make arrangements for Tvari to be put in charge while he was away. But what would he do with Mileena? He supposed he would leave that up to her. If she wanted, she could stay in the village or she could leave with him.

He hoped to take her with him.

* * *

**A/N: Whew, this chapter had me up all night, I'm going to bed! Don't hesitate to leave your reviews! Tell me all about what you think of the story and its progression thus far! Thanks in advance! **

**~DymondGold~**


	13. Focused

**A/N: Here's the next installment, hope you like it! If you do, leave a review! If you don't, leave a review anyway!**

**If you got an alert or outdated link for ch 13 it's b/c I scrapped the chapter as soon as it was published; sorry for the complication! **

**btw, chapter 13 could have turned out pretty dern ugly if it hadn't been for another author pointing some things out to me, so thank you again! (_you know who you are..._*****coughChibiSonyacough*)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything MK-related; but could you imagine how filthy freaking rich I'd be if I did? Then I wouldn't have to make up prickish characters anymore...**

* * *

**Chapter Thirteen**

* * *

Rain had assumed he was alone in the woods, completely by himself except for the birds, animals, and insects, so imagine his surprise when he found that someone was able to sneak up on him. The intruder cleared their throat awkwardly just as Rain was coming out of the lake from his chilly bath.

The water was only waist deep.

The stranger saw Rain completely in the buff and somehow unabashed. He stood there, uncaring that he was exposed and eyed the newcomer as if they weren't worthy of the dirt beneath his bare toes.

"Who are you and where did you come from?" Rain asked in an accusatory tone.

The stranger, a young man no older than fifteen blushed and looked at the demi-god's feet.

"I am Elan, and I came from the village. Who are you?" the boy asked in a rigid voice. He still wouldn't meet the naked ninja's eyes. Or anything else above his ankles.

"You needn't know." Rain sniffed arrogantly. He then proceeded to walk onto the grass and pick up his breeches. He pulled them on slowly.

"Why are you here?" Elan asked. It was his duty as a soldier to make sure no foreigner got into Nightwolf's territory unchecked. It could be another hostile, like last time.

Rain stood with his arms folded and his wet hair dripping down to his chin. His sharp gaze was on the teenager and not in a friendly way.

Elan looked back at him, at his face this time, and couldn't help but notice how attractive the man looked. He didn't look human, that was for certain. His body was way too proportionate and flawless. His eyes, too, had such a fierceness to them that couldn't possibly be accrued in just one lifetime.

_What is he_, Elan thought to himself.

Meanwhile Rain was also sizing up his intruder; he looked to be a well-built, though mostly slim, tall young man. He had bandages across his shoulder over the side of his chest, one of his eyes were blackened, and he wore his left arm in a sling. He was not a threat.

"What are you doing here?" Elan asked again in what he hoped was a voice as strong and firm as his general's.

Rain fumbled for an excuse and grinned; he'll just borrow Ermac's. "I'm looking for someone. My distant cousin."

Elan tilted his head, "Oh! Well maybe I can help you! I know almost everybody in the...village...dear gods," he trailed off and murmured to himself, his eyes averting elsewhere.

Both of the men had turned to where another figure was emerging from the woods behind them. Well emerging wasn't quite the word. Limping was more like it.

Covered in blood and bruises and walking with his legs slightly closed was none other than the proud but beaten general. His blonde hair was matted to his cheeks with sweat and blood and his nose was crusted in red. One of his fingers was twisted at an angle and there was a dent in his ribs. He hobbled over to where the other two stood.

"Elan," he said sternly, "Who is this?"

Elan was torn. Was he supposed to act like his general and pretend the man didn't look like shit or should he ask him what happened? He didn't want to offend his superior, so he just responded.

"This is, well he didn't give me a name. I found him naked in the lake. He said he is looking for someone, his cousin" Elan replied dutifully. He was careful to keep all emotion out of his voice.

"His cousin?" Tvari repeated.

"Distant cousin. They live in the village," Rain interjected.

Tvari glanced at him up and down. "Who is it?"

"You don't know them," Rain cut smoothly.

Tvari tried to appear imposing but failed horribly, "Try me."

With a scoff Rain sighed. _These mortals never make anything easy for me_, he thought.

"Yeah," Elan piped up, "Who is your cousin?"

A pause, and then, "Mileena" he ground out.

"I know her!" Elan exclaimed, "She's a friend of mine," he explained.

Rain looked aghast; _Did he just say what I think he did? _"Sh-she's what?"

"I said, she's a friend of mine," Elan elucidated patiently.

_By the gods, he did! How the hell is that even possible? _Rain's mind was scrambled but he composed himself.

"I see. Well then you'll be able to pass along a message for me?" he said.

"Sure!" Elan smiled. "What would you have me tell her?"

Rain stared ahead thoughtfully, "Tell her to meet me at this lake when she gets the chance. I want to talk to her."

"Alright-"

Tvari interrupted suspiciously, "Wait a minute. Are you hunting Mileena? It sounds like you're just trying to get her alone and away from the village so that you can finish her off." he predicted.

Rain began to sweat.

"Well. Is that what you're doing?" Tvari asked menacingly.

"...N-No." Rain stammered. _I am so fucked,_ he thought in dismay.

"Oh. Too bad," was all Tvari muttered. He left the woods with some difficulty, shorn of much of his dignity.

Elan turned towards the open-mouthed demi-god and said earnestly, "I'll deliver your message, you can count on it!"

Rain closed his mouth and blinked, then chuckled to himself, "Good. Tell her I'll be waiting."

He watched the young man bound off out of the woods and thought to himself, _Piece of cake. Now all I have to do is kill the bitch and I'll be one step closer to getting that amulet! __  
_

* * *

I almost forgot how tiring it is to spend all day practicing my Mian Chang and sai movements. It's not an easy art to master, it requires a lot of balance and is comprised of mostly swift kicks and punches. Since I was going against an invisible partner, I could pretend I was fighting at the necessary short range and was able to work up a good sweat. Now it was well into the afternoon, just about five or six oclock in the evening actually. I was absolutely famished! I mean seriously; I could probably eat a fucking horse. Or cow. Or plumped up chicken.

"Mileena!" Elan called out to me. He was running top speed with his injured arm cradled close to his chest.

Panting, I folded my sweaty arms. From the direction he was running I'd say he just came from the forest. I smirked. I wonder if he's came across his precious general yet.

"What is it, Elan?" I croaked. The only reason my voice was shot was because I tended to get a bit carried away when I practiced. I liked to shout and cry out when I fight, even if it is just pretend. It helps release excess energy.

Elan pulled up short in front of me and smiled as if he were suddenly shy. "Hello, Mileena," he greeted out of breath.

I laughed, "Hey yourself; did you come all this way just for that?"

He reddened, "No, I have a message for you. There was-"

Laughter was heard in front of Nighty's hut and I jerked at the sound of it. I turned round and saw the shaman sharing a smile with two others. I immediately recognized them and stared at Elan questioningly. He lifted a brow and shrugged.

"What were you saying?" I continued.

Elan scratched at the back of his neck, "Right. I was going to search for the general after I left Imala-"

"Did you find him?" I interrupted.

"Yes. He came to me looking absolutely terrible. He wouldn't say what happened, and I was too afraid to ask." Elan admitted.

I tried to conceal my satisfaction. Elan didn't notice and was about to go on relaying the rest of his message but Nightwolf called out to me. I gave Elan a shrug and he said very docilely that he would tell me later.

"What is it?" I asked the shaman when I got nearer to his hut. I nodded at the two military elite in a way that wasn't really polite or friendly; just neutral.

Nightwolf gestured to them. "Miss Blade and Mister Briggs will be staying with us for the next two days." he told me.

"For what?" I retorted.

"They need me to heal a friend of theirs," Nightwolf explained.

"So let them get a doctor. Why do you have to do it?" I countered. It's not that it really had anything to do with me, I just didn't see the point in them coming all this way just to heal somebody when there were hospitals scattered all throughout Earthrealm.

Nightwolf sighed, "It's not that simple."

"Why not?" I asked.

Blondie spoke up, "We think Liu Kang, our friend, was hit by the same attack Quan Chi used on you. Nightwolf is the only one that we know of who might be able to reverse this curse." she said.

"Oh." I said. That makes sense. I turned to Nightwolf, "This won't by any chance affect whether or not you'll undo the curse on me, will it?"

Nightwolf shook his head. "If that's what you choose to do next week."

"Alright, then whatever." I shrugged. "So when are you leaving?"

Nightwolf, for a split second, looked sort of crestfallen. "After the festival. This should take no longer than 48 hours, at most." he predicted.

"Alright." I sighed. "So I'm assuming I'll be staying here?"

"If that's what you'd like to do. If you wish, you may accompany us," Nightwolf offered.

I had to turn him down. "Yeah, I think I'll stay here."

The last thing I need is to go on a vacation with Nighty. I have a feeling it would only bring us closer, and I'm trying to distance myself.

_You haven't been doing such a good job with that, _the voice nagged. It replayed images of last few encounters the shaman and I have had. Yeah, for once that voice was right. But that's okay, because I was going to do better. I would cut off this relationship before things got too far. That won't be hard to do, since Nightwolf will be gone in two days. Plus, I've got my training to keep me busy.

_You'll have to stop sleeping with him, too. _I liked sleeping with Nightwolf. It felt...good sharing the small, flat pallet with him. Waking up in his bed.

_Get over it! Focus on what's important! You need to put your full attention on getting back to your prime so that when the time comes for you to get your revenge, you can do so successfully! _

Alright, already, I get it! I snapped mentally. I had been looking down at my feet as I always do when I have those little conversations and when I glanced back up Nightwolf had a sad look on his face. _What's eating him? _I thought.

Nightwolf didn't say anything else, just ushered us all into the hut and made his way into the kitchen. As he was taking out a cauldron he addressed all of us, who were standing idly in the doorway.

"You may have a seat at the table or in the den. I'll have dinner prepared shortly," he spoke. There was a heaviness to his tone, though, and it was starting to bug me. _What is with him? _

I took up my usual spot at the table with Sonya across from me and her friend on the end to the left of her. Nobody said anything. Then I found it prudent to at least say something in thanks to Blondie; she _did _give me the pipe that summoned the shaman and they took me in after I'd been beaten and stripped of my powers.

"You took me into your camp and you helped me out." I mumbled awkwardly.

Sonya and her friend blinked. What was his name? Dax? Jax? Yeah, that was it. Jax. Weird name, must be an alias or something.

"What?" Blondie asked in confusion.

I sighed. I didn't want to have to explain myself. "I appreciate you helping me. Back then." I said shortly.

Sonya seemed to remember and nodded. "Oh yeah! Oh, you're welcome, I guess. It was nothing." she said easily. Her partner nodded in agreement.

"Say Nightwolf," he called, "What you fixing over there man? That ain't no weird kind of tribal meat, is it?" he asked warily, then added, "I done had a lot of different foods, but I don't feel up to trying nothing new tonight."

Nightwolf almost grinned, but held back. I wanted to tear my hair out; _What is wrong with him? _

"Nothing unusual about vegetables and spices, is there?" he quipped.

They both shared a laugh, but Nightwolf's one was fake. I was _this _close to asking him what was the matter.

Sonya began drawing spirals on the table with her finger, "So Mileena. About your, um, curse." She started.

Immediately my hackles rose, "What about it?" I asked defensively.

"Are you getting cured as well?" she asked carefully.

I frowned skeptically, "Why else would I be here?" I answered curtly.

She then said, "It's just 'cause, well, the last time we saw you, you were on your way here. And now, it's been almost a whole month and..." she trailed.

I didn't like where she was going, "Are you implying something, Blondie?"

She glared for a moment then her face went calm again, "No. Not really." she responded flippantly.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I snapped.

"Nothing!" she snapped back, "I'm just wondering why you're still here, that's all!" she huffed. "Jeez, you're pretty touchy. Just like that snooty man we were hitched with." she murmured.

"That's none of your business." I clipped. Inside I was wondering if she meant anything else by those words; what was I still doing here.

I spent the next five minutes pondering the question.

"Did you think I was just going to take what I wanted and leave?" I blurted.

Sonya stopped staring into space and gave me a funny look. "What?"

I cut my eyes impatiently. "You asked me what was I still doing here; did you think that I would just get Night-Light to heal me and then be on my way?"

Sonya blushed prettily and gave a nervous laugh, "Oh. You're still hung up on that one question? I really didn't mean anything by it." she admitted.

"You must have meant something." I insisted. "What. Was it?"

_They think you're a selfish greedy monster. They're right, too. That's all you are. You knew from the beginning you weren't going to give the shaman anything in return for his aid. You're selfish. _

_"_Nothing," Sonya shrugged. "It was just a question."

"You think I'm selfish." I stated dully.

Well it was true. That voice isn't _completely_ psychotic after all. But I'm not being selfish _right now,_ I mean Nightwolf and I made a deal! He knew that I would be able to leave after the month is up, so it's not like I'm using him or anything.

"I didn't say that" Sonya declared.

I didn't reply, just kind of stared into my lap and thought more about it. Nightwolf came up with this plan, he's the one who said I could leave, so why won't this inner dissonance go away? It's irritating the hell out of me. I growled low in my throat and closed my eyes. I didn't know how much this freaked out the other two people at the table until I took a few calming breaths and let my eyes flutter open to reveal their bewildered expressions.

"Are you...alright?" Sonya asked. "You seem kinda upset."

"I'm fine, Blondie, mind your own business" I retorted halfheartedly. No, I wasn't alright, but I'll manage.

"Hey Nightwolf, how we coming over there? You need any help?" Jax offered while giving me sidelong glances.

"No thank you, it's almost ready." Nightwolf declined. Again with the fake smile. I pushed my own problem aside and tried to figure out what was going on with the chief. After three or four more minutes, I found my efforts useless. Maybe I'll ask him about it later on.

_Don't. You should stop worrying about the shaman. He's not your concern right now, focus on your goal, _the voice coaxed.

Obediently I rolled my shoulders and pretended that the depressed aura around Nightwolf didn't bother me. It wasn't working. I need to distract myself.

"Are you doing anything tomorrow?" I asked the bionic soldier, "Or the next day?"

He looked taken aback so I elucidated, "I need someone to train with."

He appraised me. "I'm not gonna' end up with something pointy in my neck or up my ass, am I?" he asked warily.

I laughed coyly, "I won't make any promises; that's a risk you'll have to take. Just like I'm running the risk of getting pounded by those" I pointed to his massive arms.

He nodded, "Alright. I'm up for it. It'll give me something to do." He turned to Blondie.

"How 'bout you, Sonya?"

She pursed her lips and looked as if she didn't exactly relish the idea of facing me in battle anytime soon. "I think I'll pass." she said.

I scoffed and dismissed her, "It's okay. Not like she's much of a challenge anyway." I remarked, baiting her. She bit.

With her eyes hardened and her game face on she replied, "Not much of a-oh we'll see about that."

Nightwolf came over balancing four hot bowls of stew. He set them down in front of us and took his seat. I could see him deflate a little as he sat down with a sigh. I wouldn't let it get the best of me. I'll just ignore that too.

I didn't look up as I ate for fear I'd catch sight of his pitiful expression again. It was still doing things to me against my will. It was making me feel, what was the word? Concerned?

"This ain't bad!" Jax exclaimed. He had a mouthful of the savory meat and was bobbing his head in appreciation.

"Yeah, this is really good! I haven't met a man who could cook this well since..." she froze. Jax looked over at her knowingly and bowed his head.

"Aw, maw," he muttered softly as his friend's eyes clouded over with tears.

Sonya pursed her lips and blinked rapidly. She pushed her chair out from under the table and left the remainder of her bowl of stew in favor of walking hurriedly out the front door.

Nobody said anything or even made eye contact with the other.

Then after a minute or so Sonya came back in, flushed and wearing a stiff smile. It was so sweet and fake it could be packaged up and sold as Splenda. What is with the falseness tonight?

She started chatting it up with her partner and Nightwolf as if nothing had even happened but it wasn't the same. It was tense in that kitchen, all thanks to her little outburst and my edginess and Nightwolf's...well I still don't know what his problem is.

When I figured I had enough I excused myself from the table and placed my dish in the sink. I ran some water over it and scrubbed it clean, then dried it and put it away. Afterwards, the others followed suit. I walked out in the hallway and waited for Nightwolf to finish cleaning up. I needed to tell him I wouldn't be sleeping with him anymore.

He sensed that I wanted to talk to him and lumbered out into the hall.

"Yes, Mileena?" he asked with a gentle smile; at least it was real this time, albeit coated in melancholy.

I opened my mouth and started to let him have it, but I just couldn't. Seeing him all pathetic, his six foot frame hunched over at the shoulders, I didn't have the nerve to break the news to him. It would only make him feel even worse. He was already upset, and he probably needed someone to be there keeping him company in bed tonight. Who was I to deny him?

"Nothing," I smiled up at him. It was a smile I didn't have to fake, I was glad to be spending the night with him.

_You need to be severing your ties to the shaman... _That voice...such a pain in the ass.

I wanted to make Nightwolf feel better, if only for tonight. Then in the morning I can go back to focusing on my goal. I took him by the hand and led him to the bedroom. I kicked off my shoes and snuggled underneath the covers in the bed; I was really gonna' miss this pallet. I leaned on my side and watched Nightwolf routinely strip himself of all his weapons, laying them carefully on the dresser, before pulling off his shirt. He took off his boots and pulled out a pair of black cotton pants from the drawer.

With a wry smirk he made a twirling motion with his fingers.

I grinned mischievously, _I'm not gonna' lie, the sight of Nightwolf pants-less seems quite appealing,_ I thought dirtily.

"Do I have to?" I faux-whined.

"Yes." He answered flatly, but with mirth shining in his brown eyes.

I mock-pouted and turned around. "You know Night-Light, you're not much fun," I grumbled.

He changed behind my back and crawled into bed behind me. I was still facing the opposite wall, staring out the window, when he got completely settled. Pretty soon he was asleep.

It was around midnight or later when I finally turned around, and when I did I came into contact with his back. His slim, bare back. I bet it would make a good pillow.

_Don't you dare, _the voice warned.

But it looks so warm and inviting, I protested.

Now Nightwolf was nothing if not a gentleman and I knew he wouldn't dare try anything with me while I tried to sleep. He always gives me my space and privacy, so I should grant him that same courtesy.

_Should _being the operative word.

I threw courtesy out the back door and crawled as close as I could to him. Then I hooked one of my legs around his and wrapped my arm underneath his own, resting it on his chest. I slid my other arm underneath his body and across his chest as well. Now he was in my arms, literally. I dropped my chin onto his shoulder and laid my cheek against his ear. I allowed a private smile to scan over my lips. This felt nice. Really nice.

But I couldn't stay like that. Reluctantly I disentangled my limbs from his and pushed myself away to the other end of the pallet. Jeez it was like the temperature had dropped 50 degrees. I already missed his warmth. I compensated with the furry blanket and rolled back over to the window.

_Tomorrow you're sleeping in the woods, even if you have to roost in a damn tree, _that voice threatened.

Hm. We'll see.

* * *

_**In the Netherealm**_

* * *

"The sorcerer; he is still unaware of our alliance?" a shadowy wraith asked from his seat at one end of the long dining hall table.

To his immediate left the host of a thousand entities gave a nod. "He suspects nothing from us. We left Rain to complete the mission. **He better not screw it up**." They spoke maliciously.

Noob Saibot plucked at a piece of a human skull, one of many shards of decomposing carnage that littered the once immaculate banquet table, and gazed thoughtfully at his fingernails.

"You should give the prince more credit. He has survived for several centuries. He must be somewhat capable and intelligent." Noob stated dully.

Ermac snorted resoundingly. "If you say so." they said doubtfully.

"Do you think your partner suspects anything?" Noob asked apathetically. He folded his brawny arms and leaned his chair back on two rickety legs.

"He does; but he won't say a word to the emperor, **if he knows what's good for him." **

Noob crumbled a pile of rotten teeth in his fist idly. "Make sure that he doesn't. It would be such a waste to have to kill him. He seems like he could be of some use to us." he remarked boredly.

Ermac didn't think so but they wisely held their tongue. "**How do you plan on unseating the sorcerer? He has many realms under his command." **

"Yes this is true. But he cannot control them all at one time; he is but one person. Also, I know of at least one realm he has no authority over." Noob said slyly.

"And which would that be?" Ermac inquired.

With a smirk that went undetected under his black hood Noob answered, "You'll see."

* * *

**A/N: That's all folks! Short, I know, but there's more to come! Tell me what you think so far and stay tuned for the next chapter! Until next time**

**~DymondGold~**


	14. Conflicted

**A/N: Going through some technical difficulties. Please bear with me -_-; Anyway, hope you still enjoy this new chapter! Thanks for over 2200 hits! Keep on reading and reviewing, I'm not done with this cracked up story just yet!**

**Disclaimer: I don't pwn any MK-related characters or themes or settings. But I do own a one-eyed immortal prick, for all he's worth.**

* * *

**Chapter Fourteen**

* * *

He just couldn't get her out of his head; that or his beastly companion wasn't letting him. Half the time he was depressed, and the other half he was, for lack of a more appropriate word, _excited_. He didn't want her to go, he wished she would give up on her dangerous goal and stay with him and live out her days as his beautiful wife, but he knew that was never going to happen. He knew Mileena would get her revenge no matter what, nothing else seemed to matter to her. She was dead-set on leaving, and he didn't think there was anything he could do to make her reconsider.

**There has to be something we can do!** _If you think of anything, let me know, _Nightwolf thought despondently. He could hear the claws tapping against the corners of his mind as the allegorical beast paced in his head. _Stop that, _Nightwolf ordered irritably. It was giving him a migraine. The shaman rolled over and faced the source of many more headaches he had suffered from in the past month; she was still asleep and snoring softly. Her hands were cradled under her head and her dark hair fanned out over the pillow. Her black lashes, thick and short like her hair, rested on high on her cheeks. Parted a half-an-inch were her light magenta lips, as were her slender legs beneath the covers.

He was struck with the familiar urge to touch her, bring her near him, kiss her, and from there his thoughts grew unsavory.

**There is nothing unsavory about making love to the woman you love, **good old beasty pointed out. It had stopped pacing by now, much to its owner's relief.

**Beautiful, **it rumbled. Nightwolf couldn't help but agree. He traced her soft jawline and stopped himself from touching her lips. He had promised himself he wouldn't compromise her and here he was nearly breaking that oath. Nightwolf sat back on his haunches and continued to observe her.

**You feel that?** Nightwolf knew exactly what the thing was talking about; this was the way he felt most of the time, whether he was around Mileena or not. Sometimes just the thought of her, of her curvy little body, made him feel that much closer to sin. He wanted her, but he didn't just want to satiate himself and be done with her. He wanted to let her know he cared about her and that he would never hurt her.

Mileena shifted onto her stomach and placed her head in the crook of her arms. The heavy blanket was the only thing shielding his eyes from the rest of her. He knew how Mileena liked to sleep sometimes: without any pants. Just like he liked to sleep without a shirt. He contemplated pulling back the sheet.

**Do it! Do it, you know you want to! She won't mind, she's asleep! **That loathsome creature mentally screeched eagerly.

"That's the whole reason why I shouldn't do it," Nightwolf reasoned with himself. He ought not do it, but that aching, burning, longing was telling him to go ahead. _It's okay, _he assured himself, _I'll only have a look. _

With that relenting thought Nightwolf leaned forward slowly and gripped the frayed edge of the blanked that came all the way up to the back of her neck. He inched it down just a little and then stopped. Then he pulled it down another few inches, and stopped.

**Come on! Stop pussyfooting and take the damn thing off of her! **

That was almost enough to make Nightwolf change his mind, but he was compelled to obey the entity and shed Mileena of the warm fur sheet entirely. Her bare legs lay sprawled before him. She shivered, and groped with one hand for the comfort of the blanket. Nightwolf threw it against the opposite wall and prayed she wouldn't wake up.

She grumbled and rolled onto her side, hunching her knees up to her chest.

Nightwolf took a moment to calm his flying heart and crawled forward on his knees and knuckles. He knelt over Mileena and gently pushed her onto her back. Immediately her legs slid back down. One lay extended while the other she propped lazily up. Her arm she had thrown above her head with the other across her chest. Her face contorted for a moment, and Nightwolf thought she was about to open her eyes. Her features again relaxed and smoothed out but the shaman had had enough. This was too risky.

He carefully maneuvered away from her. He stood. He straightened his pants. Then he walked clean out the room.

* * *

Damn that had to be the worst dream I've ever had! There was food EVERYWHERE! It was some kind of party or something. I had my plates piled high with some of everything but just when I was going to sit down and dig in, I woke up. It would have been a good dream if I had actually gotten to taste it all. I could still smell the strong aroma of spicy roasted meat...Oh wait, that was real; Nightwolf must be cooking.

I grinned and licked my lips. That man sure knows his way around a kitchen, that would be a definite perk to being his wife.

_But you're not going to be his wife. Ever. So get it out of your head! _I find the best retaliation I have against that damn voice is to just ignore it. So I did.

I yawned and stretched the last remains of sleep away and noticed there was no blanket on the bed. Where did that-oh wait, there it is! How did it get all the way over there, though? Oh well who cares. There's some juicy meat that's calling my name.

I leaped off of the pallet and swayed over to the dresser to pick out something to wear. Some more cutoff shorts, these ones denim and red, were pulled out. First of all, the pants I'd torn these from were just not something I'd ever picture Night-Light wearing. They were straight leg and frazzled at the ends, and they flared out like bell-bottoms. By altering those things into the short shorts I now shamelessly wore this morning, I was doing the shaman a huge favor. He wouldn't dare be caught dead in those things and keep his reputation as the fearless chief intact.

I snickered and rummaged through the drawer for a shirt. It came in the form of a large, black short-sleeve. I headed to the bathroom to change and freshen up. This is where I came to a startlingly, yet very welcome, revelation.

My period of hell: It was over!

After five uncomfortable days, this menace was over. Then I remembered; it would be back in only a month. Damn. Still, though, I felt freer without the stiff pad and shorts underneath my clothes. It was a relief, that's for sure. I brushed my teeth with my borrowed pink toothbrush and used Nightwolf's comb to manage my hair into a decent side-falling part. Once I was presentable, I left the bathroom and sashayed into the kitchen. It wouldn't be as fun to just _walk_ in there, I wouldn't have gotten the same reaction out of Nighty, I think.

He was at the stove again this morning doing his thing but he froze when I came in. I liked it. I liked holding his attention like that, it made me feel special; it was like proof that I meant something to him.

_It's only desire, _came a vicious whisper.

"Whatcha' cooking?" I asked. I sidled up to him and tried to peek over his shoulder into the cauldron. He smiled at me and I saw that whatever was bothering him last night had seeped over into his attitude this morning.

"Breakfast," he joked. The tea kettle beside the heavy black pot began to whistle. Nightwolf took it off of the stove and carried it over to the sink. He poured some of the amber liquid into four waiting cups, then looked down at me.

"Would you bring these to the table, love?" he asked.

I nodded and hugged the steaming mugs against my chest. Halfway to the table where a sleepy Jax and an alert Sonya sat I halted.

_Did he just call me 'love'?_

I must have been standing like that for a good few minutes.

"Mileena? Are you alright?" Nightwolf asked from the sink. Absently I nodded and continued on to the table. I mutely placed the drinks down and sat in my chair. _No, not my chair. 'The' chair. _

"I'm fine," I stated. Obviously he doesn't realize what he's just said. I don't know why I freaked out that badly. No, I do know why; nobody's ever called me anything endearing like that. And the way he said it, it just rolled off his tongue, it sounded so natural. If I were to stay I wonder...would he call me that all the time?

A hot plate of stewed venison was placed in front of me. I looked up and saw the worry in Nightwolf's eyes as he dished out everyone else's food with his gaze locked on me. Thankfully he didn't address it. He blessed the food and we all dug in. Even though I was severely conflicted, this food is just too good to go to waste. I can think about all this confusing shit later.

"So Mileena we still on for today?" Jax asked rowdily. His partner scoffed with a good-natured smile.

"You sound as if you're asking about a date or something. I'm coming too" she added.

I nodded but was thinking of something else: My first date. Being in the clearing, sitting under Nightwolf's arm, kissing him more than once. I had a stupid grin on my face now, and had to bow my head to keep the others from seeing. I should've known Nightwolf would be the one to catch it.

"Mileena?" He asked quietly, but he was smirking so I knew he had to be thinking of the same thing. He looked so pleased with himself, too. It must be because he knows he's a good kisser. My smile could've stretched from ear to ear if I let it. I shooed it away instead.

"What?" I pretended to snap at him, but it only made his eyes twinkle knowingly.

He was finishing up his breakfast and stood casually. "Never mind" he said. He walked to the sink.

I was getting flustered again, and just from a few of his sexy smirks. Yes they were sexy as hell and they were getting me all bothered and hot. I turned away from him and fanned myself quickly.

"I'm going to inform Tvari of our departure." Nightwolf declared, "He is a general of mine. He will be taking over the position of chief in my absence."

"Really? You're putting that prick in charge?" I said before I could stop myself. I don't know why but Nightwolf is good friends with the ass and I didn't want to offend him.

Nightwolf eyed me sternly, "Mileena if you choose to stay here while I'm away you'll have to do as Tvari says. He will be in control."

"The hell I will" I muttered.

Nightwolf sighed exasperatedly, "Mileena, your language; and you're welcome to come with us if you do not wish to be in the General's company."

_I think not. Besides, I still have to take care of those thugs that hurt Elan. I could do that while Nighty's away, that way he won't know what happened by the time he gets back. _

_"_I can't, I've got to do something. I'm sorry," I told him. I was compelled to apologize; why? I have no clue. Maybe it's because I feel sort of responsible for how sad he looks now.

"That is alright." he said. He prepared to leave but I grabbed his arm. His muscles tensed under my fingers.

"Yes?" he asked; his voice was a tad huskier than before but his eyes hadn't switched so it wasn't that other version taking control.

I moved my hand away from his body and cleared my throat. "I wanna go with you. To see the General."

He quirked a brow, "You want to see Tvari? But you were just speaking ill of him not a minute ago," he said suspiciously.

It's true; I just want to see if the prick's recuperated yet. Hopefully he's got a broken nose and a permanent limp, I thought giddily.

"If you don't want me to come..." I trailed, and Nightwolf smiled easily.

"Of course I'd like for you to come." he said with such soft sincerity. He turned to Sonya and Jax, "The village and its amenities are at your disposal."

* * *

**"So this is what you've been doing since We left? Stuffing your face?" **Ermac asked derisively of his partner.

Rain couldn't deny that he'd been doing just that. "Basically." He said sarcastically around a mouthful of dried nuts. He washed it down with a sip of warm cider.

He was still at the lake waiting for Mileena, leaning against a slab of rock and playing with the placid water in front of him. Thanks to his little friend, he's been very well fed. That young soldier was incredibly naive, but he had proven to be quite helpful.

Rain dusted off his breeches and stood, walking the short distance to where his partner stood with a scowl on his face. Gone was his black cloak and in its place was Ermac's usual burgundy leather regalia.

"What's that?" Rain asked, pointing at swirling green orb at Ermac's waist. What the prince didn't know was that the belt was the sole thing that kept Ermac from 'disassembling' while sojourning back and forth to the Netherealm.

"Nothing you need know of." Ermac told him cruelly. **"Did you kill her yet?" **

"No, but I have a plan." Rain admitted proudly.

"And what would that be? **Sitting on your ass and waiting for her to come waltzing into your lap?" **Ermac jeered.

Rain narrowed his eyes, "It's more than that! You don't think I can do anything right but I'll show you, you insipid, prickish asshole!" he yelled.

"Trying to alert the entire village?" Ermac quipped.

Unaffected as they were by their partner's outburst, Ermac knew they had to tread more carefully around Rain. He could go and double-cross them, turn them in to the emperor, and right now they needed to keep the alliance under wraps.

"Just shut up and go play with Noob." Rain seethed, "I don't need you here antagonizing me."

Ermac sighed. Really. Rain had it all wrong about their relationship with Noob; it wasn't even deemed platonic, not with that apathetic wraith. Dead fish were more livelier than he. Honestly, just because the shadow reigned over the land of the dead and dying didn't mean he had to act the same way.

**"Hurry up and finish the mission. **And while you're at it, keep the sorcerer at bay; **and before you start bitchin, if We go down, we'll drag your narrow ass with us" **Ermac threatened.

Rain had no doubt Ermac would make good on his vow and simply nodded. "Whatever. I got this." he said flippantly. "But how am I supposed to keep the emperor from finding out? What am I supposed to tell him?"

Ermac chuckled spitefully, "You'll make up something, **pull it out of your ass, we don't care. Just keep him off our backs!" **

Rain tilted his head, "I have to do all this for you and Noob, but what am I gonna get out of it?"

**"Your life...if you're lucky" **Ermac stated thoughtfully.

Rain wanted to gnash his teeth in frustration; but then he thought of how good it would feel once he retrieved Quan Chi's amulet and got back at Ermac for putting him through all this shit. Now he could laugh in private glee.

"Alright then, Ermac. Consider this mission done. And I'll make sure the emperor doesn't give you any trouble." he promised. _  
_

**"We'll hold you to that, princess."** Ermac chuckled. Then he was off again, gone through a neon green portal.

"Good riddance" Rain muttered. Right then someone entered the woods and ran to take up the spot where Ermac had just stood. It was that kid.

"I brought you the cake, sir." he said truthfully, for he did bear a few slices of that delectable moist baked dessert. For the demi-god with the enormous sweet tooth, it wasn't nearly enough.

"You sure haven't brought much," Rain commented while taking the napkin full of cake from the injured teenager's good hand. As an afterthought he added, "Thank you"

Elan's youthful features lit up in response and he bowed his head a little, "You're welcome." Sheepishly he explained, "I couldn't bring much, the rest is for the festival tomorrow night."

"Festival?" Rain repeated with his taste buds bursting with the flavorful cake. He walked back over to his slab rock and sat down. He took a swig of the sweet cider. "Sounds interesting."

"Oh it is!" Elan assured, "The entire village gathers in the square and there's eating and a word from the chief. And then there's a bonfire. There's also dancing and singing and-"

"I get it," Rain rolled his eyes. Sounds like it'll be worth his while. If he's killed Mileena by then or not, he'll definitely check it out. He was bored to saline tears, after all.

"Perhaps you should come," Elan suggested, "Maybe then you'll meet your cousin Mileena. I haven't told her just yet, I was going to tell her, but I got interrupted." he admitted guiltily.

Rain waved him off, "Don't worry about it, kid. You can tell her today."

"Right!" Elan grinned. He started to leave but Rain called him back.

"Wait, come here!" he ordered. He gestured to the now-empty jug of cider and the dirty napkin that once held the cake and the bowl that used to be full of nuts and berries.

"Could you get rid of these for me?" he entreated as if he expected Elan to agree. Elan, being the gentle soul he was, obliged.

"You should really try and conquer your shyness if you plan on going to the festival; the whole village will be there," Elan warned.

The poor boy had believed Rain when he told him that the reason he's camped out by the lake is because he's incredible antisocial.

Rain nodded absently, "Yeah, sure."

"I could help you if you want" Elan offered.

"No that's okay kid." Rain said. He scowled at his dirty fingernails. Actually, his fingernails weren't the only thing that was dirty; his pants were absolutely grimy.

"Do you think you could get me any fresh apparel?" Rain requested, "And more of those nuts, and some cider to go with it."

Elan made a mental list and asked, "Okay. Anything else you need?"

"The cake you brought me today would be best, but anything sweet will do," Rain settled while still picking at his nails.

Elan gave a small smile, "I can't promise you there'll be anything left, but I will do my best," he said earnestly.

Rain watched him go with a musing expression playing on his face. _That boy would make me a fine servant. He's far too trusting, though. _

* * *

I thought seeing the prick after what I'd done to him would just make my day, but I was wrong. Horribly wrong. _  
_

It made my fucking week!

It was hard not to just bust out laughing as soon as we got to the barracks and Tvari's pitiful frame came into view. Gone were his dashing good looks and menacing aura that demanded respect. In its stead was a bitter cyclops grasping onto the little bit of dignity he had left. When he saw us, well me in particular, he nearly lost it. His good eye went to spewing flames and he bypassed all his soldiers to get over here. I winked, trying to remind him of our deal, and he cooled it. Nightwolf saw the whole thing and had a 'something-smells-fishy' sort of look on his handsome face.

To be honest I really don't care if Nightwolf finds out. His reaction would be amusing; who would've thought a little human woman could've done such damage to this arrogant old general. I know Tvari won't be admitting the truth anytime soon. He'll want to save face, the guy does have a reputation after all.

Nightwolf and I approached the general and I was once again the center of most of the soldier's attention. The ones who weren't gawking were probably thinking of their wives or girlfriends or something, I figured. I noticed Elan was not among them, but the three thugs were. Great. The leader of the trio appraised my bare legs and whistled, giving me a dirty leer. Part of me want to hide behind Nightwolf, away from his lecherous eyes. The other, bigger and more vicious part wanted to clobber the bastard. I grinned evilly as I thought of what I could do to him while Nightwolf is away. He mistook my grin for encouragement and got excited. Oh, ew.

"Is there something you need sir?" Tvari asked.

"Tvari, what happened to you?" Nightwolf chose to forgo formality and address his friend's well-being. "Who did this?" he asked severely.

Tvari wisely kept his eye away from me. Speaking of that, I wonder where I put his other eye? I think I left it in the pocket of my shorts. Oh well. It'll turn up later

"Whoever it was, they sure did a number on you, General" I tutted with false alarm.

If looks could kill.

"I do not wish to talk about it." Tvari mumbled evasively. "Did you need something, sir?" he asked rather shortly. Nightwolf didn't seem to mind.

"Yes. I am to be leaving tomorrow night, after the festival. I was planning on leaving you in charge, but if you are not well-" Nightwolf started to say.

"I am perfectly well!" Tvari insisted. I disguised a snicker.

Nightwolf looked down reproachfully, "Mileena, don't laugh" he chided.

"I'm not laughing," I lied.

"Sir, if I may have a word with her...alone" he added.

Nightwolf nodded and backed off. I immediately began to lay into him.

"Got a pretty bad limp there, Patchy." I teased.

"This is no time for your posturing, I bear urgent news," He scolded. I couldn't help it.

"Don't look like you'll be 'bearing' anything for the next hundred years, buddy" I jeered cheekily.

He rolled his sole eye and adjusted the black bandanna he had diagonally placed over his long blonde hair. "Wench," he ground out.

"Alright, I'll quit. What's your news?" I capitulated. Leave it to the prick to ruin my fun.

He saw that I was serious and spoke again. "Have you met with your distant cousin yet?"

"What? I don't have any cousins, distant or otherwise." I retorted.

"I thought as much," Tvari murmured to himself. To me he said, "There is a man here who claims to be your distant cousin. He is a demi-god."

"There's only one demi-god I know and he was ordered to kill me a while back," I said quietly. I didn't want Nightwolf to overhear with his keen senses.

Tvari nodded, "I figured he was hunting you. He had no disguise and though he appears mortal, I can easily tell an Edenian apart from a human."

"Even with one eye? I mean seriously, how can you do that?" I asked in slight amazement. Even I couldn't do that.

"You have bigger things to worry about." Tvari sniffed, "If that menace brings any harm to the village or its people, I'm holding you responsible."

"What?" I cried.

"What are you, deaf?" He sneered.

"What are you, blind?" I shot back. He didn't appreciate that too much.

"Ok, enough with the glaring." I relented. "You act like somebody's pissed in your ale."

Tvari eventually backed down, "Make sure you get rid of him." he warned.

"I will." I griped. "Quit nagging me."

I stomped over to Nightwolf and tossed my short hair over my shoulder. With a brilliant smile I turned and waved at the general.

"Hey Tvari! _See _you later! Oh wait..." I trailed in mock-sympathy. He actually _flipped me off_ as he turned and started walking back to the troops. Bastard.

"What did he want?" Nightwolf asked.

"Nothing much. Let's go home." I said. I knew Nightwolf would drop the issue as soon as I said those words. I didn't know how much I would enjoy saying them.

* * *

**A/N: Another short chapter, but it's okay right? More on the way! Don't stop RnR'ing! Until next time! **

**~DymondGold~**


	15. Injured

**A/N: People have been mighty shy about reviewing the last two chapters, I can only hope that means I'm doing good and everybody's pleased! **

**Disclaimer: No I don't own anything MK-related, Ed B., John V., and John T. own it all. I'm stuck with the Prick. **

* * *

**Chapter Fifteen**

* * *

Nightwolf hadn't said much since we got back to his hut, and I didn't try to engage him in conversation. Even though I really wanted to. Not that I had anything important to tell him; that issue with Rain was not getting out from between Tvari and me if I could help it. No, I didn't have anything useful to say to Nightwolf, I just wanted to hear him talk. Hear the pleasant timbre of his powerful voice. But if I let on that I enjoyed his low voice so much, that would be going against my plans of distancing myself. It's bad enough I was holding his hand.

Yes, I don't know when but sometime in our walk back home...I mean back to his hut I had laced my fingers through his and hadn't thought twice. I wasn't going to let go until he did. Even though we were getting some funny looks from the villagers I still held on. But those looks got me thinking.

"Nightwolf," I asked sometime later, while we were both in the kitchen. Nightwolf was sitting down at the table cleaning his tomahawks with an old greasy rag and I was standing in front of him. I was actually pretty close, like in between his legs that he had splayed open. I backed up.

"Yes Mileena?" He replied. He put down his weapon and gave me his full attention.

It would be a lie to say this didn't make me happy. "Did you tell your people that we were...that I was your..."

"My betrothed?" He finished the sentence that I could not. I nodded.

Sighing, Nightwolf pushed away from the table and stood. "No." he answered, "I was waiting for your decision."

"Oh" was all I murmured. That certainly made sense. Wouldn't want to tell the village and then have the chief's new wife-to-be just up and disappear.

The front door opened and Sonya and Jax came in with their heavy thudding and tinkling from their boots and dog tags and other military paraphernalia.

"Do you want to go and have our fight now?" Jax asked. He sounded pretty pumped up. Sonya had a more reserved enthusiasm about her. Her lips were cocked in a competitive half-grin and her eyes shone like polished diamonds. I couldn't help but get excited myself.

What I knew of these two fighters was that, even while human, they posed a mighty threat to Khan and his allies. I can't wait to try my skills against them.

"Yeah, I'm ready! Let's go!" I smirked.

Jax bobbed his head, "Cool. So where you wanna' do this? Somewhere in the woods?"

_I don't think so; not while Rain's on my ass. _"Why don't we just go out back, behind Nightwolf's hut? There's room out there." I suggested.

"Yeah, but the woods would be better. It's more isolated and spacious." Sonya pointed out.

I cut her a meaningful glance, "No. Let's stay here. I _insist_."

They both glanced at each other and shrugged. Jax spoke, "If you say so. Let's do it, then."

We all three walked past Nightwolf and out the front door. Nightwolf let the other two go but took me by the hand. I stopped and frowned.

"What?" I asked.

He didn't have to say it for me to know what he wanted to convey; _Be careful, _his eyes implored me, _Be safe, _they entreated.

"I'll be fine," I reassured him. I don't know why he was getting all worked up. I could handle myself before and now won't be any different. Before I forgot, I dashed to the bedroom and grabbed my sai's. Adrenaline was working its magic already.

"See you later, Night-Light" I called on my way out the door.

I rounded the corner around the hut and saw that Jax and Sonya were warming up. Blondie had a leg pulled up behind her back in some kind of stretch, and Jax was bouncing on the balls of his feet, punching rapidly at the air.

"It's good to fight like this, just messin' around," Jax said, and I totally agreed. It was nice not having to be on a mission and fighting for my life. However, it would be even nicer if I got to go all out. Holding back didn't really suit me, but these were Nightwolf's allies so I had to make due.

"So who's going first?" I called out, then added with a smirk, "Or are you both gonna' take me on at the same time?"

Sonya shook her head, "No. That wouldn't be fair, you're already at a disadvantage." she walked back to the hut and took a seat on the brown grass beside it. Obviously she was gonna' sit this one out.

"Disadvantage my ass," I snorted. "Come at me!"

Jax grinned and bumped his fists together, "Alright, but you asked for it." he chuckled.

Then it was on.

I ran at the soldier and immediately dodged his swinging metal fists. I was fast, that much hadn't changed. I swept at his legs but he anticipated it coming and tried to grab at my legs but I had already leaped back. I landed a few feet away and charged at him again.

Three well-timed kicks hit there mark and he staggered away with a bloody lip. Still smiling he wiped it on his arm.

"Guess I need to get serious now," he remarked.

He took a mad dash towards me with his fist-clenched arm outstretched and almost knocked me on my butt. I ducked down quickly and upper-cut him in the chin. Backing up he started to bring those heavy contraptions down on me and I used my sai's to keep them at bay. He was forcing me to step backwards every time he made contact with my weapons. My sai's were singing each time he landed a blow against them. Somehow he snuck a swift kick to my gut while I was distracted and I went flying yards away.

I ate dirt and rolled onto my feet in an offensive crouch. I hissed and narrowed my eyes dangerously. That kick hurt like hell, and it pissed me off that he was able to get one in that easily. Needless to say, nothing more was said between us, joking or otherwise. Shit had definitely gotten real. At least for me.

I ran headlong into him, trying to jam my sai's into any part of his flesh that I could reach. I swiped and stabbed my way closer and closer to him, not regarding this fight as something fun anymore. I wanted to gut his ass. I was far gone and he could probably see the malice in my eyes. A few times my sai's plunged artificially into his exposed skin.

"Stop!" I heard Sonya yell but it didn't register.

Jax looked kind of worried, but that certainly didn't keep him from punching me in the face. Or at least trying to. If I hadn't hopped over his shoulders I would've been launched into a concussion, no doubt. I used my momentum and pulled at his shoulders until he came hurtling above me, landing some meters away. I saw him lying there, he had landed on his head, and grinned. I flipped my sai's in my hands so that they pointed downward and I stalked over to him with a fiery gleam in my eyes.

I wasn't gonna' finish him. Not like _that_.

Before I got to him, though, he rolled over and punched the ground. I was about to laugh at the futility of the movement until I saw the grass rippling in undulating waves. Forgetting I was in my human form I foolishly tried to keep my footing and advance toward him. After wobbling back and forth I cried out loudly in pain and crumpled to the ground. My foot was twisted and burning and throbbing.

Now Sonya did more than yell, she came running over to us. Well, not _us_ exactly.

As I sat rubbing at my ankle she bent over her partner and helped him to his feet.

"Are you alright?" she solicited, and upon his affirmative response she led him back to the hut. I don't know why but this bothered me in the tiniest of ways.

Then Nightwolf was in the backyard, calling out to me. I turned at the waist but didn't even try to get up. He looked down at me and his eyes flickered frequently. He was at my side in an instant.

"It's just a sprain," I muttered irritably, "I'll deal with it."

Nightwolf would have none of it. "Let me see it," he gently demanded. He sat in the grass and waited for me to do as he said.

Stubbornly I kept my leg to myself. "I don't need you to come baby me up, it's just a sprain. I'll take care of it by myself."

I shooed his hands away as the reached for my ankle but he was persistent. He scooted closer to me and brought both my legs into his lap. My knees rested on his thigh and he didn't seem to mind. Well I sure minded. This was definitely crossing the line of those personal boundaries I had set. Yet he didn't care, he sat and rubbed up and down my shins carefully.

"Which one is it?" He asked, and I pointed to my left ankle.

To my surprise Sonya and Jax came back outside, this time with supplies. Sonya had a blue tube and some white gauzy looking stuff and Jax had a vial of some kind of purple liquid. He handed it to his partner and then rubbed at his pants awkwardly. Sonya came striding over to us.

"This is to help with the swelling," she handed Nightwolf the tube, "And this is a pain elixir." she gestured with the purple syrupy liquid. She gave the gauze to the chief as well and then stood over by her partner.

I sighed. This was damn embarrassing. I didn't want to be patched up like some weakling, and in front of my 'opponents', too. I squirmed uncomfortably.

"Be still," Nightwolf chided with his hand on my bare thigh. Oh that made me still, alright. His hand was warm and reminded me of another time when he had it placed there. I blushed as I recalled him sliding his hands over my body and touching his lips to my own.

"Are you alright? You look a little flushed," Sonya observed, "Maybe you should go rest after this." she suggested.

Nightwolf didn't look at me but I could see the private smirk he was attempting to hide. He took some of the white cream from the tube and began smoothing it out over my aching ankle. He kept his free hand on my thigh.

He took off my black moccasin and revealed my naked foot to the world. He cradled it in both his hands and massaged it briefly.

_Somebody, please, just shoot me now, _I thought in utter mortification. No doubt my sweaty foot smelled bad and was clammy. Why was he doing this? And in front of the others! Was he trying to make me die of humiliation?

I tried to pull my foot out of his grasp but found the action to be extremely painful and futile. He got the message, though, and started to wrap it up in gauze. He wound the white bandage tightly over my sole and ankle and tied a small knot at the end. Then he offered the vial to me.

_Don't drink that, it's poison! _The irrational voice had come out of nowhere and actually made me jump. Nightwolf retracted his hand a little and tilted his head. His gaze was intelligent and I began to wonder if he suspected anything about my little mental problem. I doubt it, but I wouldn't put it past him. He has a way of surprising me sometimes.

As for that voice, I didn't really believe it. It wouldn't be the first time it told me something was poison and it wasn't. But I still didn't take the vial.

"Take it, Mileena" he ordered, "It's only medicine."

I sat frozen with my arms crossed at my chest. The epitome of obstinacy.

This made Nightwolf take matters into his own hands. He held my chin in one hand and the vial in the other. Tilting my head back he leaned forward with a devilish smirk on his face. His eyes weren't switched, but I was still panicking. Was he gonna' kiss me? In front of Jax and Blondie? Would I let him?

Hell yes.

But he didn't. At the last moment with my lips parted and my eyes lowered and his face so close, he pushed the vial up to my mouth and poured the contents into it. Bitterly I jerked back and swallowed the too-sweet syrup, feeling tricked and ashamed. I felt foolish for reacting the way I did and grimaced as the elixir went down my throat. He was painstakingly gentle in all that he did to me but I was still hurt.

I felt his rough thumb brushing the corner of my lip and saw that he had some of the medicine coated on it. He wiped it away and stood.

"I think you need to stay off your ankle for at least a week." he advised. Oh hell to the no.

"I can't do that!" I protested, "I can't be cooped up inside all day!" _I have to go deal with Rain and those thugs! _

"Mileena," he said tiredly, "If you don't stay off of it, you'll only exacerbate your injury. You may risk inflammation. I know you don't want to stay inside, but you must." he then added, "And please mind your language."

I grumbled a curse to that damn Paste-Face and wished I wasn't human. If only I was in my normal body this would never have happened. None of this would have happened. I wouldn't have gotten hurt all those times, I wouldn't have met these mortals, and I wouldn't have met Nightwolf. This made me a bit sad. I didn't have time to dissect the correlation of that last thought and my melancholy because I was taking off. Literally.

Nightwolf had scooped me up in his arms and was carrying me into the house. I wriggled and wormed my way back down to the ground.

"You don't have to carry me, I can walk! Just lend me your shoulder," I instructed. He did so and I limped a few feet before almost collapsing. Back into his arms I went. We were still outside, so the other two were still present. They saw everything, and wore twin expressions of puzzlement in reaction to the entire exchange.

Nightwolf carried me past them back into the hut. I had my arms round his neck and now that we were inside away from the mortals' questioning eyes I allowed myself to lay my head on his marked chest. I actually liked being held this way, as long as we were in private. He adjusted his arm under my knees and around my back and carried me down the hall to the bedroom.

Once he laid me on the bed he began to leave.

"Nightwolf," I called out softly to him. I wanted to see if he would heal my ankle. I knew he must have the power. And I sure as hell didn't plan on being crippled for long. I have business to take care of.

Nightwolf paused in the doorway under the straw partition and glanced over his shoulder at me. I patted the blankets beside me and raised a brow.

"Come and sit by me" I asked but by no means docilely or demurely.

With my aggressive tone of voice I might as well have said, '_get your ass over here' _or something to that extent. It worked, though, so I wasn't complaining.

The chief sat next to me and I scooted closer so that I was all up under him. He placed an arm around my shoulder and gazed fondly down at me.

"What is it you want, Mileena?" he smiled.

I worried my lip and then decided to be frank. "Look Nightwolf, I want you to heal my ankle. I know you can! And I really need it done because," I didn't want to tell him about my plans.

He eyed me curiously, "Because what, love?"

"N-Nothing," I stammered. I was shaken up by that epithet of his. It had a way of rattling my nerves and making me melt.

"Why can't you wait a week for it to heal on its own?" he wanted to know. He was oblivious to my blush I think.

"I'll be bored out of my mind just sitting in bed with nothing to do," I told him. Well that was partly true.

Nightwolf nodded and gave me the impression that he was gonna' say yes all along. He stroked my cheek, "I'll heal it for you then. Tonight. There is much to be done in the village square for the Festival tomorrow so I'll not have time before then." he explained.

I nodded as if I understood. All that registered for me was that he had said yes and that I would be able to kick some Edenian ass pretty soon. I was taken off guard by what he did next.

He had his tongue against mine before I started responding to his sudden kiss and when I did start reacting he moved his hands to my hips. I knelt in front of him and he slid his hands under my shirt, up my back. I arched into him and wrapped my arms over his shoulders. He was nipping at my jaw now, diving lower and lower with his open mouth. I panted and licked my lips.

But then he stopped because he heard people moving about in another part of the hut. He and I both remembered that we weren't alone and regret shone in his swirling dark eyes. It was all over his face. It wasn't really regret, just...something else that let me know he wasn't too keen on stopping whatever he had initiated between us. I, on the other hand, was astounded at how fast things seemed to escalate when we're alone together. I wasn't thinking in those brief moments that had just passed, and that worried me. I lost control every time he kissed and touched me and the more we had these encounters, more and more of my resolve to distance myself was chipping away and yielding to that primitive ache burning at the pit of my stomach. Whenever he came onto me I was left wanting more of his attentions. This was seriously becoming an addiction. Not there yet, but well on its way.

I shivered.

Nightwolf pecked at my lips and stood and excused himself. I had the feeling he was just as flustered as I was after what happened just now. Good. I wanted to have an effect on him like he was having on me.

* * *

Spending time alone in the forest had really given Rain time to think, to ponder on his situation. He had been analyzing the information that the boy-soldier had given him and had come to the conclusion that he could very easily overtake the entire village.

From what he had been told, the entire village was to be in attendance of this festival and so the grunt work of rounding them all up had already been taken care of. He need only stage an attack and slaughter the lot of them while they were drunken with merriment and unsuspecting!

It was no secret that the sacred village had been a target of Shao Khan's but the shaman was all too good at eluding the former emperor's extermination squads. Rain took this as a personal slight since he was mainly in charge of getting rid of this village. With his new found plan, however, he would be able to remedy the situation. After he managed to take out not only the wench but the village as well, Quan Chi would surely favor him and he'd be so much closer to taking Shinnok's amulet for himself!

"Rain you have truly outdone yourself with this one," he praised himself as he leaned against his favorite rock across from the placid lake. He gorged on nuts and cider and cackled wickedly, delightedly to himself. This plan was ingenious!

But after a while longer with only the company of his over-active mind and the thoughts it spawned, Rain realized that his plan was not a very well-thought-out one. First of all, he had nearly forgotten that the boy had mentioned the shaman would also be in attendance, and that would certainly complicate things. He didn't know for sure if he was able to take on the shaman in addition to his entire army, especially since he didn't even know how large said army was in the first place. If he were to be defeated, things could get ugly. Perhaps he should enlist assistance. That sounded good, but the only person to come to mind was Ermac. He was Rain's only associate as of late since Quan Chi had gone about his killing spree. Enemies and allies alike had dwindled.

Still, though, Rain wasn't _that_ desperate. It would be a frosty summer in Netherealm before he ever asked that schizophrenic asshole for help. Not that Ermac would probably aid him, anyway. Rain scowled and shook his head, running a hand through his ponytail.

He was wearing fresh clothes now thanks to his little soldier friend. Loose black pants hung delicately to his narrow waist and a black vest lay crumpled on the other side of the woods. He had accepted it from the boy, but refused to put it on. It reminded him of the shaman. He was barefoot and recently bathed and sporting his usual mid-length ponytail. His nails were finally clean enough to satisfy him.

He thought more of his plan; it was not just flawed, it was riddled with holes. There were too many what-if scenarios that could play out against his favor. He was risking a lot. He should just stick to completing the mission, but his pride would not let him rest.

His pride was a peculiar thing. It was always assuring him that he could do things he normally didn't think he could. His pride led him to do vicious, cruel, cold, merciless things he had never thought he would do. At one time he was as naive as that soldier boy. But that time was gone. His pride was the death of his innocence. He found himself doing selfish, unfeeling things in order to appease it. His pride led him to betray his people and demand his own command. It led him to join the ranks of murderers and tyrants.

However, he found that his pride had was quite content with making itself scarce in the occasional instance of his most eminent demise, thus allowing him to switch sides and change loyalties without any moral qualms.

At any rate, his pride would not back down, and it told him that he could do this. He could take the wench out _and_ destroy the village. He could do both. All he had to do was work through the details of his scheme and bide his time. Often Rain was called brash and impetuous, but he himself knew better. He didn't survive for several centuries without a little patience and self-control, after all.

* * *

It was hard to discern which was more shady; the tavern itself or its numerous patrons. The whole place was dimly lit and smelt of Brandy and ale and other cheap spirits. The floors were sticky and squelched underfoot nastily. Sitting at the bar inconspicuously-as much as any other occupant, that is-were none other than the host and the wraith. Gloomily Noob sat on the stool with his arms crossed, making Ermac sigh in unison.

"Remind me again why we had to come here?" Noob drawled sullenly.

Ermac would've rolled their eyes, had they had any. "You know that we cannot dwell in the Netherealm without it causing harm to our souls.** We told you this once before," **Ermac snapped irascibly.

Noob eyed his colleague moodily, "Don't take that tone with me. It was merely a question."

Ermac bit back a retort for the sake of the alliance. They couldn't go offending Noob Saibot if they wanted him to help them take over the realms. Though it was becoming clear that the wraith was just as much of a pain to deal with as his partner Rain.

"**Whatever. **Did you secure the special forces?" Ermac asked against the drone of the tavern noises.

Noob took his time answering. "I did. They are rallied and poised for attack, though it doesn't take much to rile them up." he spoke with casual disinterest.

The bar tender, a tall balding mortal with plenty of rings and a large gut, approached them. The man was either brave or stupid or blind because the look that both beings were sending him clearly stated '_back the fuck off'_. He wiped his hands on a rag that was hanging from his apron and coughed into his fist.

"What can I get ya?" he asked the duo nonchalantly.

They both ignored him and expected the man to go away. No such luck.

"**Leave**." Ermac demanded after the mortal refused to go away. With a shrug, he finally did so.

"Suit yourselves," he murmured while walking away.

Ermac shifted in his stool so that he was facing Noob directly. He leaned in closer to him so that he would not be misheard.

"Let us be upfront," they intoned, "When the realms are seized and the emperor overthrown, they will all belong to us," Ermac said, and by 'us' they meant themselves.

Noob didn't look like this bothered him, "Of course. We've been through this before, Ermac. Don't be so insecure," he mildly scolded in that apathetic tone of his.

Ermac looked briefly affronted, "Insecure?" they repeated.

Noob didn't stop there, either, "I will continue to rule the Netherealm seeing as you're not able to, but all the other realms I won't touch. I won't betray you, don't mistake me for your partner." he spoke condescendingly.

Ermac ignored the jibe. "Speaking of him, what do you suggest we do with the nuisance? Shall we kill him?" they asked a little too eagerly. Their green eyes were glowing incandescently.

Noob shook his hooded head, "No, we can't do that. That Rain has a way of cleverly eluding death and he's so slippery, it's hard to keep up with him."

Ermac agreed. It was true; Rain could hide himself well. If he didn't want to be found, you'd not see hide nor hair of him.

Noob leaned back in his stool and stretched his legs. They bumped against Ermac's stool in the process and made the chair rock and squeak. Ermac leveled him with a glare. Noob shrugged.

Then the wraith leaned forward again and said conspiratorially, "I'm thinking of giving him Edenia to rule."

"**What? **He's a lowly traitor! He'll only turn on us!" Ermac whispered fiercely.

Noob didn't seem surprised. He placed a hand on Ermac's shoulder, "Calm yourself, host. That is exactly the reason I want to keep him close. It'll be easy for us to keep tabs on him if we have him right under our nose."

Suddenly the brilliance of the scheme dawned on Ermac, "Do you think that will satisfy him?" they remarked.

"For a while." Noob stated lazily, he didn't look to really care if it did or not. Ermac, however, knew how capricious the demi-god could be and still didn't trust him.

"If he does anything suspicious, we'll kill him," Noob stated with ease. He could sense that his colleague was not reveling the idea of including Rain in their conquests. But it had to be done. Beside, Noob still saw some use in the traitor.

"Has he completed the mission yet?" Noob veered off topic for a moment.

Ermac snorted and shook their head, "We told you already, he still hasn't killed Mileena. **Good for nothing louse," **they muttered callously.

Noob hummed in response, a lackadaisical sort of reply that was typical of him. He leaned his elbows on the sticky counter and nested his chin in his hands.

"So when do we act?" Ermac inquired.

"Whenever the time is right," Noob answered slowly.

Ermac's patience was wearing thin, "**Could you be more specific?" **

Noob straightened in his seat defensively, "Don't be short with me; I cannot give you a specific time because that depends on the emperor. We have to strike when he is at his weakest point. You can probably understand now how I can't really put a date on that," he explained with a heavy sigh.

Ermac rolled their shoulders and barked out an annoyed sigh, "We understand."

Noob of course, wasn't truly offended. Not much could disrupt that flow of nonchalance he constantly emitted. That's what bothered Ermac the most. Noob didn't seem to give a flying fuck about anything. He was slow-moving and moody and drab. If he had moved his ass, they could have taken over the realms much sooner than this.

_**Waiting for the right moment? Pah! **_Ermac thought. They wouldn't be surprised if this was just more of the wraith's bullshit; the shadow was lazy when he wanted to be, which was most of the time. As long as he had his throne in the Netherealm he would take his precious motherfucking time doing things for the benefit of the alliance. Ermac was mildly shocked Noob had managed to garner the necessary support on time. Now that was a feat. And then the wraith had to drop that threesome bomb on them; the last thing Ermac wanted to do was relinquish Edenia to the reign of that filthy Rain. It would seem Ermac didn't have a choice, though, it was better than rejecting the demi-god and having him come back and bite them in the ass later on.

Ermac stood and made his way out of the bar. Noob followed, but he was dragging behind at a lethargic pace. Ermac formed a bright green portal and stared at the swirling gateway.

"Back to your partner?" Noob asked tiredly.

Ermac walked towards their creation. "**Unfortunately**," they said before stepping through. Between Rain's tendency to make a general bother of himself even from afar and Noob's draining personality, Ermac was feeling pretty fatigued right about now.

* * *

**A/N: That's it for this chapter. I'm seriously losing sleep putting up these chapters, lol. Please don't hesitate to leave a review! I love to hear what everybody has to say about the story and its development. **

**btw, things will be getting darker in the next chapter or two. Just saying, be warned because there will be gore and more swearing and other things. Until then, Ciao and goodnight! **

**~DymondGold~**


	16. Held

**A/N: People I am sorry for the long wait but I hope this chapter, though uneventful, will suffice! There are some exciting things to come for our little crack couple so stay tuned!**

****this chapter was slightly revised, btw. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything MK-related, Ed Boon, John Vogel, and John T. own it all. I'm stuck with the lovely Prick. Lucky me. **

* * *

**Chapter Sixteen**

* * *

On the floor. Over the table. Across the kitchen counter. Next to a fire. There were so many possibilities and his mind's eye was witnessing flitters of all of them play out in his head. He had given up trying to shut the images out, he just let the mental film roll on. His intention for going to the woods in the middle of the afternoon was to meditate the dirty thoughts away, to focus on clearing his mind so that he could get back to business preparing for tomorrow night's festivities, but he wasn't making much progress. If anything, the disharmony had only gotten worse. There was one thing he wanted, and it didn't look like he was going to be having any peace until he got it. But he wasn't going to force himself on Mileena, so he had no choice but to put up with his urges. They were getting stronger lately.

**She wants us, too. **With the way Mileena responded earlier, he'd say that was true. But it wouldn't be good to encourage those encounters if she was going to leave anyway.

**She might return if we give her the right motivation, **the beast trailed. It did have a point.

**Of course I have a point!** it sneered, **Now as I was saying, we need to give her the right motivation if we want her to return; because by now we both know she _will _be leaving. Right?**

As much as it pained him to admit it, Nightwolf knew this was true. Mileena was dead-set on her goals, nothing he could do would change that. He just didn't have enough time. If only-

**Stop with the pity already, there's nothing we can do! **It scolded. Nightwolf could hear that the thing was just as upset about the situation as he was, though.

**Nothing, but give her reason to come back, that is, **it added.

"How am I to do that?" Nightwolf asked himself.

He was only vaguely worried about someone coming upon him and wondering why the fearsome chief was having a full-fledged conversation with no one else around. For all they know, he could be chatting with the spirits.

**We need to give her something to remember us by, something she'll not soon forget. I take it you know what I mean? **

"Not until she agrees to be my wife." Nightwolf said, though not as stolidly as he would have before.

He had a taste of Mileena and now he wanted more. He already couldn't stop thinking about her, about what he would do and how he would do it and where and for how long. His wanton mind had the details all worked out. Several scenarios would bounce around in his head, tormenting him. He found he could no longer stand to see the woman in his clothes and keep a steady hold on himself. Just thinking of her in one of his shirts and nothing else. It was driving him to extremes. This is why he didn't just dismiss the beast like before, but instead chose to hear it out.

**You know what to do. Show her what'll will be waiting for her when she gets back. Maybe, if you really impress her, she'll not even want to leave. **

Nightwolf couldn't help but smirk at that. He doubted he could change her mind in just one night. But he would try.

"I'll only go so far as she allows," he avowed to himself. No matter how badly he wanted her, he would never coerce her into doing anything she wasn't ready to for.

Because of his keen ears and sharp senses, Nightwolf picked up on someone else moving clumsily through the woods near him. He got up from his Indian-style position and skulked over to where the noise was coming from. He had a dagger at the ready when the figure made himself known and that was when Nightwolf swung his arm around to the fellow's neck.

The person proceeded to drop everything and freeze.

"S-Sir?" Elan asked. The boy was afraid to even swallow lest the blade cut into his flesh. Nightwolf immediately relaxed and stepped away from his soldier.

"Had I been a hostile, you would have been killed," Nightwolf scolded sternly.

Elan's shoulders fell an inch, "But sir-"

"No, Elan! Just because we are in our own home does not guarantee that we are safe." Nightwolf barked.

"I know that but-" Elan stated.

"No you don't know, so listen!" Nightwolf interrupted. "You can't let your guard down, especially now. There is a war going on and it won't be long until it comes our way. I need to be focused, at all times. Do you understand?"

Dejectedly Elan nodded, "Yes sir" was his stiff reply.

Nightwolf sighed and began helping the boy pick up his fallen items. It wasn't that he resented Elan or anything like that, he was only so hard on the boy because he cared. Nightwolf had watched Elan grow up from the klutzy four-year-old into the strong-willed and dedicated soldier he is now. The boy still had room for improvement, obviously. Nightwolf loved Elan as he loved all his people, but Elan was special to him. He was not only the youngest soldier but also the most compassionate and by far the most hard-working. He tried so diligently to compensate for his youth by training harder than the rest of the troops and he thought nobody saw how he went that extra mile, but Nightwolf saw, and probably Tvari as well. That's why Nightwolf cracked down on the teenager; he didn't want to lose that boy.

Among the things that Elan had dropped were an empty canteen and paper napkins. If his nose was not to be mistaken, that was a familiar sort of cake crumb smeared on the napkins, and that canteen had once held what smelled like cider. But back to that cake.

"Elan, is this what I think it is?" Nightwolf held up the incriminatory napkin for emphasis. He saw Elan worry his bottom lip for a split second and look away, behind him.

"Sir, I can explain." He began, but Nightwolf smiled good-naturedly and patted him on the shoulder.

"It's quite alright. You work so hard, you deserve a little reward every now and again." he told Elan jovially.

"Speaking of the festival," Nightwolf continued, "Is your mother well enough to attend?"

The two were moving out of the forest by now, and already Elan's mood was picking up. If there was one thing Nightwolf knew about him, it was that ever since Elan was a little child, he never could hold a grudge or stay angry for too long. It was a good thing, but it could prove to be quite a flaw if enemies were involved. Elan sometimes was a little _too_ compassionate and forgiving. If he didn't reign that in, the boy could end up trusting the wrong person.

"My mother is well, she will be coming with To-my older sister, sir," Elan answered formally.

Nightwolf could see the soldier trying to hold in his excitement but even the chief knew this was his favorite time of the year. Nightwolf had always kept an eye on Elan. Especially after the little four year old kept sneaking away from his mother to go and watch the soldiers train and hunt.

"Will Mileena be there?" Elan asked harmlessly enough.

If only he knew the torrent of hellish torture that one question brought forth in the shaman's mind. The force of a thousand images all revolving around the black-haired young woman nearly robbed Nightwolf of any logical response to give the oblivious boy.

"I. I suppose she will be." Nightwolf said thickly, on top of a heavy pant that he was trying to conceal. The things that were running through his mind were like night and day compared to the innocent smile Elan wore in reaction to what he just said.

"That's good. I want to see her." Elan said, then his dark brown eyes widened and his lips spread in a glorious grin. "Her cousin might come as well, and won't that make her happy!"

Nightwolf slowed in his walk through the outskirts of the village and looked down at his subordinate, "Her cousin? Mileena doesn't have any family," Nightwolf stated uncertainly.

Elan took on an earnest glow, "Oh but she does! She has a distant cousin. He's visiting her. He's very shy but he says he'll be coming to see her, at the Festival."

Nightwolf thought this was strange, yes this should definitely be looked into. If only he could get that monster to leave him alone.

**Why? Aren't you enjoying this? I'm only showing you the best parts of our little minx, which happens to be all of her! **Nightwolf really didn't have time for this.

**Damn we picked a good one. With those long sexy legs and that tight little-**

"Stop it!" Nightwolf roared. Beside him Elan jumped and backed quickly away from the shaman.

"Not you, Elan," Nightwolf sighed, "It's just this..." _aggravating voice inside my head, _that was what Nightwolf was about to say, but he could imagine that not going over too well with his already shocked soldier.

"Something wrong, sir?" Elan whispered. He was afraid to even raise his voice after the chief's sudden outburst.

"No. Nothing at all." Nightwolf replied tersely.

**You know I can't help it. I want her just as bad as you do. We must act quickly, **the selfish entity rushed him. Nightwolf just wanted a lobotomy already, if only it would do him any good. To himself he muttered, "_Stop bothering me; I have more important things to worry about right now," _

Elan didn't catch any of what Nightwolf said. The boy just figured his chief was having some sort of fit.

Nightwolf turned and regarded his favored soldier carefully, "Elan, I am going to be leaving tomorrow night. While I am gone, Mileena will still be here," he said.

He placed both hands on Elan's slim but sturdy shoulders, "I want you to watch over her. Make sure she stays safe. If you see anything suspicious going on, let Tvari know. Understand?"

Elan nodded once, "Yes sir. I won't let you down." he declared. Mileena was his friend, of course he would protect her while the chief was away.

"I'll be back within 48 hours. Make sure nothing happens to her until then, alright?" Nightwolf asked with much more raw concern in his voice this time.

Blinking, Elan could only nod. He knew that Mileena and Nightwolf shared a connection, what that was he had no idea, but they obviously have something going on if Nightwolf has a look like that on his face. He continued to ponder the extent of their mysterious relationship even after the chief patted his back and headed towards the village square.

Elan supposed there was only one way to find out; well there were actually three, but one of them was the easiest of them all. He would ask Mileena.

* * *

What was probably only an hour or so felt like a damn day when I was stuck lying in bed waiting for Nightwolf to come back and heal me. I was so antsy and had nothing to do. I couldn't go anywhere. I had to crawl on my hands and knees to get to the bathroom and I don't think my pride could handle me getting around the village like that. I only had my sai's to entertain me and morbidly pricking and carving into my own flesh had gotten old very quickly. I didn't do anything drastic, just poke a little hole in my pinky fingertip and carve a diminutive 'M' into the back of my left hand. It was a scratch really, barely beneath the surface of my skin; it didn't even bleed. That much.

Hell I was bored, this is what I do when I'm bored out of my fucking mind.

"Mileena?" Sonya asked from somewhere in the hut.

Hm. Not really who I wanna see but she'll do.

"In here Blondie!" I called. I heard her thudding footsteps and the tell-tale rustling of the straw partition as she entered the bedroom. As it was, I was sprawled out on my stomach with my legs bent at the knee, hanging in the air. She looked pointedly at my injured ankle.

"What? He said keep it elevated!" I cried defensively.

She rolled her light eyes and came to sit uncomfortably on the edge of the pallet. "This is your room?" she asked.

"Our room," I corrected automatically, then swore lowly. "_His_ room."

"Ah. I see." Blondie murmured. She sat on the backs of her heels with her knees on the floor and her hands palms-down on her bare thighs. It would seem she has no qualms about wearing short-shorts either.

I waited for her to do something interesting. When that didn't happen, I got bored again and lay my head back down on my folded arms. That's when Blondie decided to clear her throat. I glanced her way and lifted a brow.

"Mileena, I wanted to talk to you." she began.

"You are talking to me," I pointed out.

"Yes but that's not what I meant," she said archly.

I smirked, "I know." I kicked my legs lazily back and forth. "Lighten up, Blondie."

"Stop calling me that!" she snapped.

"Aren't you supposed to be a soldier or something like that? You should be used to people calling you out of your name," I said just to get under her skin. She had a point though. After all she's done for me, I guess I could at least call her by name.

"That doesn't mean I have to put up with it," she grimaced.

I smirked even harder and poked her scrunched up red lips. They were soft and seemed to melt against my two fingers. I laughed shortly.

"Don't do your mouth like that. It messes up your face," I advised her. She looked shocked, and was touching the place where my fingers were.

I reached forward and took her hand in mine. It was rough but her oval-shaped nails were light pink underneath that dirt and grime. I turned her hand over and traced her palm. It was cool and calloused and white and marred with many pale stripes like mine. I moved my tanned palm next to hers and then put it flat against hers. Her fingers were roughly the same length as mine and though my nails were dirty and torn from my frequent training, so were hers.

"What are you doing?" she asked confusedly. She pulled her hand back and wiped both of her sweaty appendages onto her lap.

I shrugged and put my fists under my chin. "I'm bored." I explained. "Very bored." I amended.

"Oh. Kay." She murmured. She fluttered her eyes as if to just brush all my weird behavior aside. Then she crossed her legs and put her hands in her lap. "I uh, wanted to talk to you about Nightwolf."

"What?" I frowned.

She hardened her face into a neutral expression, "First of all, I just want to tell you that Nightwolf is my friend and I've known him a pretty long time."

"Okay." I said bluntly. That was my way of telling her to go on.

"So I know him fairly well, and lately he's been acting strange. And there's no easy or non-awkward way to say this, so I'm just gonna say it." she sucked in a huge breath.

"I think Nightwolf cares about you." she said. "A lot." she added.

I rolled onto my back and forced myself into a sitting position with my legs stretched out in front of me. "Well _Sonya_, I coulda' told you that." I retorted, but inside I was wondering how she could tell.

"So you know?" she asked with a pulling type of smile. It was a hopeful yet worried one.

"Yeah, I know." I answered dully.

She gave in to that smile, "Oh! Well that's...how do you feel about him?"

"I don't know." I shrugged. I did have an idea, but I didn't want to go telling her. I still don't know if I like or trust her yet. "How am I supposed to feel?"

"What do you mean? There is no right or wrong way to feel." she said slowly.

"Isn't there?" I drawled.

"No." she confirmed.

"Are you sure?"

"Mileena. Either you care for him or you don't. Which one is it?" she sort of demanded.

My heckles rose, "Why do you care? This has nothing to do with you"

"It does when my friend is involved," she insisted. "Besides, why are you getting so worked up?"

"I'm not worked up!" I shot back, definitely worked up.

Sonya sighed that infuriatingly calm sigh and drained the angry redness out of her cheeks. "Mileena I didn't come to fight with you."

"Too bad. I think I would have preferred that over your damn nagging." I griped.

To my surprise she smiled again, "Yeah me too. But this is something I'd like to get out of the way."

"Whatever," I huffed.

She took the liberty of coming over and sitting next to me on the bed. I stiffened and scooted away. "Um, could you," I finished the sentence by moving my hands in a shoo-shoo kind of motion.

She complied with a shake of her head. "So back to what I was saying; how do you feel about Nightwolf?"

"I told you, I don't know!" I hissed. "Why do you wanna know that anyway?"

She held up her hands, "I'm just trying to make sure you aren't using him or anything."

"I'm not using him, we made a deal!" Was my knee-jerk response. "He told me I could leave, so why is everybody getting mad at me?" I cried. My hands were twitching and I was breathing kind of hard.

_Calm down, bitch, you'll go into cardiac arrest if you keep this up. _Well I can't say I didn't need that. I inhaled and exhaled deeply and closed my eyes.

"We made a deal," I said in a much more stable tone of voice.

She didn't seem to mind my brief mood escalation. "What deal?" she asked softly.

"He said that he would heal me if I stay here for a month." I explained. "At the end of the month he said I could either get cured and leave or stay and become his wife."

"What?" she gently exclaimed. "Did you say-"

"Yeah, I said his _wife_; he told me the spirit of his ancestors picked me out to be his wife, or some bullshit like that." I said without half as much emotion as I felt.

"That's not bullshit. He really does communicate with the spirit world," she said seriously.

"Yeah I know." I muttered.

"So he said that _they_ picked you out to be his wife. Interesting." she mused curiously.

"I don't see what's so interesting about it." I grumbled.

She 'tsk'ed and said, "Never mind that. This all makes so much sense now."

"What do you mean?" I warily asked.

"It makes sense why Nightwolf cares about you. If anyone spends a month with another person, they're bound to start caring about them,"

"That's not necessarily true," I mainly just said it to be contrary.

"It is in this case." she smirked.

"How would you know?" I sneered.

"Because I can see it!" she claimed. She looked so sure, sitting there with that confident spark igniting her blue eyes.

"Nightwolf has made it pretty obvious that he cares about you. I mean he practically flew out this hut when I told him you had gotten hurt and then there was the whole foot action going on there." she joked.

I was still particularly embarrassed about that, "I figured you saw that."

"It's not just that!" She chuckled, "It's also the way he looks at you. That's a big sign."

"How does he look at me?" I smirked. I had a pretty good idea. I didn't mind that she had scooted closer to me again.

"Oh he just gazes at you with these _smoldering _eyes that just _scream _adoration," she said exaggeratedly. I laughed dryly and elbowed her playfully.

"Oh really? Forgive me if I have a hard time believing you." I rolled my eyes.

"No it's true! He does give you the sexy look!" she laughed as well, "And that nickname: it's a dead giveaway" she grinned.

"What nickname?" I asked. As soon as the question left my lips I remembered what it was.

"Love. He called you love this morning. And then you just froze, like you never had somebody call you by a pet name before." she said offhandedly.

She saw that?

"I haven't." I said quietly;I don't know why I was telling her this. "I never had anybody call me anything like that before."

"Oh." was all she said. She seemed to realize her careless mistake and rubbed at her arms uncomfortably.

But I wasn't uncomfortable, not because of that.

"Anyway, he definitely is in love with you." She conceded. "So you do care for him?" she asked more than inferred.

I wouldn't give her a definite answer. "I don't know."

"What _do_ you know?" she asked, but not unkindly.

"I _do_ know I like him. I like to be around him. To talk to him and spend time with him." I admitted.

She nodded thoughtfully. "Okay. So do you like him as a friend or as something more?"

I mulled over this. When I thought of the word friend, I immediately thought of Elan and how he called me his special friend. If that was what a friend was like, then I certainly consider Nightwolf more than that.

"Something more," I replied.

Again she nodded and pursed her lips. "Well I think you might be in love with him as well."

"No," I began to refute.

"I said I _think, _don't jump down my throat. I'm no expert." she said. "But it's important not to deny or suppress your feelings, Mileena."

"I don't see why? There's no room for love, not for me. I have to get my revenge." I monotonously droned.

"Do you _have _to?" she asked.

"Yes." I unthinkingly rattled back.

"Think hard, Mileena. You have done what not many people in this world or any other are able to do; you've found love."

"So?" I didn't think this was such a feat. "I envy the lucky bastards who haven't."

There's too many problems with _love. _It only complicates shit. _  
_

"You shouldn't," She chided, "Because they aren't lucky at all. You're the one who found someone who cares about you and wants to be with you. Don't you see how special that is?"

"Not. Really. No." I lied.

"Yes you do, I know you do; why are you being so difficult?" she said exasperatedly.

I shrugged.

"Anyway, I don't think you should give up love for something like revenge; it just isn't worth it." she said sadly.

"Oh please, spare me the lecture. I had everything stolen away from me and I intend to make the pasty fucker pay." I said determinedly.

Sonya folded her arms and narrowed those light eyes and that's when I knew I crossed some kind of line. She looked pissed...and incredibly so.

"You think you're the only one who's been fucked over?" she growled. I was mildly surprised; she didn't usually foul up that pretty mouth of hers with vile language, that was _my_ thing, I thought sarcastically.

"Well I've got news for you, Mileena, I've been robbed too. Maybe not in the same way, but it's had the same effect on me." she said icily.

"Enlighten me," I said with not a trace of sarcasm to be detected.

She gazed straight ahead, "Love is a powerful thing. It comes without warning and it hits you full force. You don't even know it's got you 'til it's way too late. You can try to fight it and work against it, but it never goes away and it never relents. Those feelings get stronger and harder to resist until one day, you just can't take it anymore, and you give in, and then you realize...there was no reason to deny them in the first place."

She turned to look at me. "I don't know how things are between you and Nightwolf. But I think you both are in love with each other. Instead of running off and breaking his heart, you should try and hold onto what you've got, stay here and strengthen your relationship. Things happen to the people you love that you just cannot predict, and we're in a war now. That means every moment you have to spend with him is precious. Tell me, if something were to happen to him, how would that make you feel? Knowing you would never get to see him again, or see what it would have been like had you given him a fighting chance?" she had tears glistening in her eyes by the end of her speech.

"Just think about it, Mileena. I don't want to see you making a serious mistake and end up hurting either one of you." she sniffed. I could see her trying to keep her head bowed down out of sight as she hurried past the straw partition and out of the hut.

Great. So I went from being bored to confused and now I felt completely shitty with the way I've been acting. That one phrase had inspired this mild self-loathing: _breaking his heart. _Was I breaking his heart? Now that I think about it, I was surprised the man could still stomach the sight of me. He took me into his home, cared for me and shared his time, attention, village, his _bed _with me and was even willing to marry me when all was said and done. He knew I was going to leave and yet that didn't make him treat me any different. He even said he'll wait for me. But what if Blondie's right? What if something happens and there's nothing to come back to, no _one _to come back to. What if something does happen to him?

Damn that woman for doing this to me! She just waltzed in here and fucked things up for me. I was going good, I was almost out of here and then she had to go and slap some truth into my face. Damn her! To my utter horror, I had tears in my eyes and down my cheeks and my nose was leaky and I was shaking and all I wanted to do was cry. It's not her fault, though. Even though I wanted to blame her, I knew these things were true in the bottom of my heart. She just did the dirty work and brought those points to the surface.

So I couldn't resent her for it.

What she was saying made so much sense and I wanted to stay with Nightwolf, I really do. But I'm scared! I don't even know _what _I'm scared of, just. Whenever I think about giving up my goal and starting a new life here I get filled with all this fear. Maybe it's because I don't think it'll work out, or that this will last. It's so new and risky, this love thing, and I didn't want to change my ways to explore it. But then I did. I'm so torn. I need to talk to Nightwolf. I need his smile, his touch, to put me at ease. I need him to assure me that he'll be here for me.

A sobbing bundle of blankets and tears and snot is what Elan found when he came bounding into the hut a few minutes later. I didn't even try to explain myself. My emotions had taken hold again and that was what I hated for anyone else to see, but now that he did happen upon me in this weak state, I didn't really care. I sat there crying and sniffling to myself.

A wet towel was delicately dragged over my cheeks, over my mouth, and under my nose. When the soldier came back, my face had dried and he was bereft of the towel. Wordlessly he sat on the pallet across from me and reached forward. He tucked my hair behind both my ears and tilted my chin up. Then he came and sat beside me. He threw an arm around my shoulder and brought my head onto his chest. Up and down his hand rubbed against my arm and I could hear his humming by the vibrations it sent through his chest. For a while he didn't even speak. He just held me, and hummed softly, and stroked my arm. I think I fell asleep.

By the time I did wake up I noticed I was tucked neatly in bed and that Elan was sitting cross-legged with his back to the dresser. He greeted me with a glorious smile.

"Are you better?" he asked, so devastatingly sweetly that it made my heart physically ache. I nodded with a sad smile.

"Thank you. For that." I mumbled. If was up to me, I wouldn't want to speak of what happened earlier and I think the kid could tell. Not that it wasn't nice. I didn't know the boy had that kind of strength that I could draw on and feel safe with.

"You're my friend. I don't ever want to see you that way," he said with that beautiful smile now vanished from his young face.

"Yeah me neither." I muttered. I sat up and stretched. I did feel better after that nap. It was needed. Now, though, It was getting early in the evening and if I was fortunate, Nightwolf would be returning soon.

"How did you know what to do?" I asked him ambiguously, but he knew what I was talking about.

He stood with a shrug. "I didn't. I just did what came, uh, naturally. My sister cries sometimes." he murmured.

"I came to talk to you about something, but it isn't very important and I wouldn't want to cause you undue stress. If it's alright with you, I'll be going now. I just wanted to make sure you were okay alone. If you need me to stay, I will" he promised.

I waved him away, "No, I'm fine. You go on ahead."

He came over to me and took my hand, and just rubbed it between the two of his before placing it back reverently down by my side.

"I will see you later then," he bade me. Before he could leave I called out to him.

"Hey Elan!" I waited for him to turn round. "Thank you. Again."

With another brilliant but melancholy smile he nodded, and then he was gone. With him left my temporary sense of peace and I again felt the indecisiveness and fear wash over me.

Nightwolf needs to get his ass back home before I lose the little of my mind I still have left.

* * *

**A/N: Thanks for reading and stay tuned! There's more to come! Leave a review, please, I love those things! Until next time, **

**~DymondGold~**


	17. Overwhelmed

**A/N: Enjoy this next chapter, but be warned; there is adult material within: read at your own risk. **

**Thanks again for the reviews, I do take them into consideration!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything MK-related, Ed Boon, John Vogel, and John Tobias own it all. I own the one-eyed Prick, among other things.**

* * *

**Chapter Seventeen**

* * *

There were times when Jax knew to give his partner some space, and then there were times when he knew she needed someone to talk to. He didn't know in this instance for sure which was the case, but he took a chance on the latter and hoped he didn't get snapped at for invading her space. Sonya was a private person, she liked to have time alone and she often worked through her problems on her own. But this was the second time in two days that he had seen her cry. Something was up. He approached her under the shade of a large tree in Nightwolf's backyard. She was sitting there, silently staring off with wet eyes and a forlorn but angry expression on her face.

"Hey Sonya, you alright girl?" he asked gently. He came to a stop a few feet in front of her and she dried her eyes but didn't look up.

"Yeah I'm alright. Just thinking 'bout some things." she answered.

Jax rocked back and forth on his heels slightly with his arms behind his back; that was no easy feat. "You wanna' talk about it?" he asked.

"No." she replied. He nodded and was prepared to leave her be.

"I think he'll be good for her," she said aloud. "I think they'll be good for each other."

"Who?" Jax hooted.

"Nothing." Sonya whispered.

With a shrug Jax turned and left her in peace. She was strong, she'll work whatever's bothering her out. It didn't look like she needed his help. Not that she often did.

* * *

There was no reason for me to be stressing my ankle trying to take a bath but I couldn't help it. I was feeling low and a bath was what I needed. It was dark when I got out and the hot water had done its magic on my muscles. I was tired and clean and all I needed was to eat and go to bed. Nightwolf still wasn't back yet.

I yawned and finished drying myself off. I wrapped the towel around me and ran his comb through my hair. The very ends were damp from where I'd gotten them wet in the tub. I yanked it through my short black locks and called it a night. Hobbling very un-sexily down the short hallway I collapsed onto the pallet and started massaging my sore ankle. Nightwolf needs to haul ass. This sprain is a bother. That is one thing among many things I will not miss once I get my body back. I hate how easily injured I am in this form.

I heard the front door shut and smiled; finally the man got here! I knew it was him, I don't know how, I just knew. So it was no surprise to see him come ambling past the straw partition with a weary limp in his gait. He immediately took notice of me and started his nightly routine of taking off his boots, his belt, and one by one his weapons. He removed his shirt and I turned around so that he could change into the pants that he normally sleeps in.

"Mileena, you weren't supposed to be straining your ankle," he said behind my back.

"I didn't strain it, I'm fine. Just hurry up and heal this damn thing already," I protested crankily. I heard him laugh and consequently smiled to myself. "Sorry."

Nightwolf touched my shoulder and I saw that he was clothed in a pair of his loose black pants and nothing else. He also looked like he was in pain.

"Are you alright?" I asked him. He nodded but he still had that look on his face.

Aside from that, Nightwolf was his usual handsome self. He had his long hair down and out of that blue headband and his entire upper half was on display. With his taut muscular body glowing from the light of the torch hanging on the wall I found it hard to concentrate. I looked away and licked my lips nervously.

"Nightwolf I kinda wanted to talk to you...about us." I told him. I felt his sit down so close beside me and I shuddered.

"What's the matter?" he asked.

I kept my eyes on the window and stared around the heavy curtain at the sliver of moonlight peeking through. It had really gotten late. I tried to organize my thoughts from earlier and pieced them together in one cohesive sentence.

"Nightwolf I want to st-stay here with you and be your wife but I don't. I'm scared that. I don't want to mess up." I stammered.

"I just don't want to give up on my revenge 'cause that's what I know how to do. I don't know how to be a wife, or how to be. How to love." I said difficultly.

Nightwolf didn't say a word. He stared straight ahead and I couldn't detect any emotion in his stoic profile. Then he looked down and over at me with so much acceptance and understanding in his smile that I nearly cried. He bent down and kissed me. That told me a thousand things alone.

"I'll show you. If you give me a chance, Mileena, I could show you so. Many. Things," he murmured huskily. "Just stay with me," he implored.

"I can't!" I weakly said back. He was breaking me down. "I have to-"

"I'm not asking you to give up on your revenge," he said quickly, "I'm just asking you to stay awhile longer."

I didn't answer, I was afraid to. I didn't want to lie to him and say yeah, sure, I'll stay because I just couldn't let go of my revenge. It wasn't that easy for me.

"Just think about it," he told me. He stroked my cheek and let his hand linger there.

Shit I have too much to think about! All this fucking thinking was making me miserable. I think it showed on my face because Nightwolf ran his thumb across my lips and clucked his tongue.

"None of that, Mileena; why don't you give me one of those beautiful smiles?" he tried charmingly.

"I don't feel much like smiling." I admitted sullenly. I wiped my sweaty hands on the towel; the towel? Oh shit, the towel! I forgot about the towel! I was about to move and go change into some decent clothes, well any clothes really, but Nightwolf had grabbed hold of my left leg.

"What are you doing?" I asked, then remembered about my ankle. "Oh yeah."

Nightwolf didn't say anything as he worked. He held my foot in between his legs and pooled his spiritual energy into his palms. The healing essence flowed through my damaged ligaments and aching muscles. It was over soon yet he kept his hands on my foot. He flexed it around slowly.

"Does it hurt?" he asked, and I shook my head. I was truly in awe.

There was no pain, no indication that it was ever sprained in the first place. I knew Nightwolf could heal, but knowing and experiencing are two very different things. I twirled my previously injured foot around swiftly and marveled at the ease with which I could do so.

"Thank you," I told him gratefully. This was one less thing I had to worry about. Now there were only two things; The thugs and Rain. I had to deal with those two problems, and I couldn't have done anything while crippled. This was a huge favor and I wouldn't take it lightly.

Nightwolf closed his eyes, "You're very welcome." he still hadn't removed his hands from my body; one of them currently rested on my knee. I cleared my throat pointedly. Nightwolf just didn't take the hint.

He slid his hand up my knee and let his other one do the same with my opposite leg. As it was, I was completely naked under this towel. As in no clothes whatsoever. So you can understand why I tried to pull away from him, but it didn't work. Nightwolf gripped my thighs and pulled me into his lap. He rested his hands on my backside and started kissing me again. His mouth was moving so fast against mine and those small fangs on either side of his mouth scraped on top of my tongue. I couldn't breathe. It was heady and dizzy the effect he was having on me and I all but forgot about my state of undress.

Nightwolf moved his lips away from mine and dove into the side of my neck. Biting and sucking at my flesh he was and I couldn't do anything but close my eyes and grab a fistful of his rough hair in one hand while my other lay flat against the middle of his back. Of their own accord my back arched against him and the cool breeze let me know the towel had dropped lower. I looked down and that's when Nightwolf pushed me flat on my back beneath him.

My head hit the pillow pretty hard but I ignored the slight pain and focused on the shaman on top of me. I grabbed both sides of his face and yanked his head down hard, crashing my lips against his. He pried my fingers from his jaw and laced them in between his. He slammed my hands down on either side of my head and trailed a row of flames down from my collarbone to the valley in between my chest. Then came the slow torture he inflicted on each one of my breasts. I didn't know what the hell he was doing with his tongue, flicking and lapping like some kind of fucking animal, but I liked it. I was making noises again. Didn't give a damn, though. It all just felt so good. We were both so far gone, it was crazy.

Then the man got his teeth involved and I nearly lost it. That sensitive part of my chest, the tip of my nipples I think it was; that was what he had in his mouth. He was pressing down on it with his front teeth and running his tongue back and forth over it. I couldn't even see straight anymore. I was panting and tearing into my bottom lip. My hands had broken free from under his arms and had snapped around to his back. I could feel his flesh giving way under my nails and that heat was traveling all through my body. It seemed to pool in the pit of my stomach; no, lower.

Nightwolf abandoned my chest and started leaving open-mouthed kisses down my stomach, exposing more of my body the further he went down. He pulled away the rest of the towel and like a bucket of cold water that splashed realization all over me. Flushed and hot and sweating as I was I shivered and shut my legs closed tightly. Nightwolf tried to coax them back open but I shook my head.

"Mileena," he rasped. His voice was raw and made a jolt go down in between my legs; I rubbed them together and let my eyes flutter closed against the spasm of pleasure that came from the sliding motion. Nightwolf again tried to pull apart my legs and this time I allowed his hands to slip in between my clasped thighs. He circled his thumbs at the junction of my legs and my hip, just outside the source of all those delicious sensations. I felt like that was where the warmth that enveloped my entire body was coming from.

Nightwolf soon replaced his hand with something else. His eyes had flickered and I knew that something else had taken control of him but I couldn't bring myself to care. The dizziness was back and all I could focus on was the motions his devilish tongue was making against what felt like a tiny bundle of nerves at the center of my lower body. He was driving me fucking crazy. It was too much. There were tears coming out my eyes. Was I crying? If felt good, yes, but it felt _too _good. It was_ too much. _

"N-Nightwolf stop!" I breathed in between gasps. "T-too m-much," I tried to say. I shrieked and clenched the sheets, his shoulders, anything to hold onto because I felt like I was being charged with this overwhelming amount of electric energy.

"Ahh, Nightwolf," I whimpered, "Stop it! It-Ahh!" I cried out again. It was unpredictable, that shocking bolt of _something_ that shook me and knocked coherent thought straight out of my mouth.

I don't know how but I worked up the strength to roll onto my side, disconnecting his mouth from my body. I jerked and trembled and tried to get my erratic heart beat back down to normal speed. I coughed and breathed heavily. Definitely had been crying. I couldn't handle that much pleasure, not at one time. I laughed and let the rest of the sensations wrack through my body. I couldn't describe how I was feeling right now, but if I had to try I'd say...light-headed. Giddy. Out of breath. On fire.

I stood shakily and hugged my arms to myself. With my eyes shut I rubbed my hands over my arms and across the expanse of my chests. I let my fingers splay open over them and then caressed my neck. I let my fingers get tangled in my hair and that's when I felt Nightwolf come up behind me. He had a shirt bunched up in his hands; he pulled it down over my head. I pushed my hands through the holes and felt him tuck his arms around my waist. I clasped my hands on top of his and leaned into him. He had his chin resting on my shoulder and was breathing shallowly, jaggedly.

The front door slammed.

"Ignore it," Nightwolf rumbled.

"Hey Chief, you in here?" Jax called. There were two pairs of thumping feet in the kitchen. I rolled my eyes.

"Are you fucking kidding me?" I hissed.

Nightwolf spun me around and chastely embraced me. "Don't worry, my love. We'll finish what we started, and next time there won't be any interruptions." he said silkily.

"Damn right," I smirked.

"Language, Mileena." he chastened softly. I stuck my tongue out at him and he pinched it.

"Keep that in your mouth. For now." he smirked right back.

Oh he had no idea what he had unleashed in me.

* * *

Rain was having a good day. He had slept in for once, lulled awake by the sounds of birds and the general forest melody. Then he had went for a morning swim and had bathed himself leisurely. He had gotten dressed and had taken to roaming the village until mid-afternoon. He didn't fear being caught, nobody knew who he was, even though his features were strikingly Edenian. He didn't see Nightwolf so that was good. He had picked from different carts and tabletops in the village square that were offering sweets and cooked meats. Currently he was snacking on what he figured was some kind of shish-kabob; tough and spicy and warm. This was _his _day, the night would sing of his triumph as he would slay Mileena and trample the village underfoot. He would burn this place to the ground and Quan Chi would have no choice but to reward him. Rain looked down at his waist and envisioned the gold and green jewel gleaming at his waist. Oh he couldn't wait!

"Here you are, young man," A middle-aged woman was offering him something. It was extremely fragrant and when her weathered hands placed the warm sample in his hands Rain could tell it was sweet.

He didn't bother thanking her, just bit into it and grinned. He really liked sweet potato. That seemed to please the woman, and she gave him another piece. Rain thanked her this time and was about to bring the orange delight to his lips but a hand quickly slapped it away. He turned angrily and came face to ugly face with his partner. He didn't have time to tell Ermac off before they the host started dragging him away.

"Unhand me! What are you doing?" Rain growled.

Ermac rounded on him, "**We would ask you the same thing; the hell are you thinking? **Are you trying to blow your cover on purpose or are you just that stupid to go gallivanting around the village undisguised?**" **

Rain jerked away from him and frowned. "Get off my back! I've got this under control," he declared. "I don't need you here nagging me."

Ermac snorted, "Have you killed Mileena yet?"

Rain rolled his eyes, "No, but I'm going to. There's a festival and the whole village will be in attendance tonight. There will be plenty of drunken merriment, which is just what I need to stage my attack. I'll kill Mileena and burn this village to the ground."

"It's not that easy. Khan has been trying and look how much good it's done him," Ermac said disbelievingly.

"I know that; who do you think was in charge of those extermination squads?" Rain said impatiently, "That's why I came up with a plan."

"What plan? We have yet to hear it," Ermac sneered.

"My plan is to wait until the people are completely wasted and unsuspecting, and then I'll strike." Rain explained.

"That's not a plan." Ermac informed him. "**How do you intend on attacking? And what techniques will you be using?" **

"I'll be using whatever technique that works best," Rain huffed. He didn't want to admit it, but Ermac was right. It wasn't really much of a plan but he wasn't finished working out the kinks yet.

"Pitiful," Ermac muttered, "But we suppose it's a good thing you haven't gone and done anything reckless yet. There's been a change of plans."

Rain warily regarded his partner, "What kind of change in plans?"

"Our mission is no longer to kill Mileena. We will be taking her with us." Ermac proclaimed.

"Why?" Rain asked. Absently he licked at the traces of sweet potato still clinging to his fingers.

"That is nothing you need be concerned with. Should she decide to come with us, her skills will be utilized and she will have a place in the alliance." Ermac continued. "Should she decline, we'll kill her."

The truth was that Ermac had been thinking. Since Mileena was strong enough to survive her transition into human-hood and was probably seeking revenge, Ermac could offer her that revenge, they could enable her to successfully get rid of the emperor, to do their dirty work. Then they wouldn't have to rely so heavily on their reinforcements and Quan Chi would be dead, so his army would most likely go down much easier than if the emperor were still alive and wielding that dangerous technique of his. Also, if Noob could saddle them with that demi-god bane, then Ermac could certainly pick who they wanted in the alliance as well.

"No! Hell no! We should just kill her and be done with it." Rain complained.

"**Stop your bitchin'; we brought _you_ into the alliance, didn't we? Maybe we should just 'kill _you _and be done with it', then let her take your place. We can bet she doesn't whine half as much as you do" **Ermac griped.

That shut Rain up for the moment but Ermac could still hear the murderous thoughts rolling around in their partner's head. So let him deal with it. Spoiled ass. Ermac had to admit, the prince had a good idea. If the village was to be as vulnerable as he said, then overtaking it would be a fortuitous opportunity. What Rain lacked in the tactical department his partner certainly made up for.

"Now about this village; if we're going to raze it, we'll have to do it properly. Listen closely," Ermac ordered.

Rain was listening, but he couldn't shake the bitterness he felt towards the host. Once again Ermac was showing him up. This was supposed to be _his _mission, _his _chance at glory and here was Ermac coming along, taking charge, and ruining things for him. If he knew Quan Chi, the emperor would probably credit the host for the success of taking down the village and once again Rain would be overshadowed and looked over. _But that wouldn't matter anymore, because I'll kill them both soon enough,_ Rain vowed darkly.

* * *

**A/N: Another short chapter but things are starting to pick up. What did you guys think of that lime/citrus-y scene? Did I botch it? Was it okay? Feel free to leave a review and let me know! Until next time!**

**~DymondGold~**


	18. Snapped

**A/N: Here's the next chapter. There's a warning for more adult content, read at your very own risk! I don't want to give anything away, but this chapter is not very pretty...Have fun reading anyway! **

**3000+ hits, oh my! Thank you all so very much! That really warms my heart! And those reviews just make my day! **

**Disclaimer: I don't own MK or any of its characters/themes. **

* * *

**Chapter Eighteen**

* * *

Talk about a perfect morning. Or should I say afternoon. When I woke up, the sun was shining at its peak, so it was probably after twelve. I had slept in, and for a change so had Nightwolf. Memories from last night put a private smile on my face and I snuggled up to the shaman. His arm tightened around me and he began to stir. When his eyes flipped open I looked up into them warmly.

"Morning, Night-Light," I teased. He closed his eyes and let his head loll back with a half-smile spreading across his lips.

"I don't think it's morning, Love," he smoothly greeted.

"Why do you call me that?" I asked absently. We were very close to each other's faces, and my head rested in the crook of his neck.

I was still on top of him with my leg between the two of his and his hand on top of my bottom. The heat from his heavy hand emanated through the layer of fabric that barely covered my body from the thighs up. I didn't want to move.

"Hm?" Nightwolf asked sleepily. I repeated my question and he shifted.

"Because you are my love," he said easily. "I love you."

I tilted my head up and inhaled slowly, "You love me. Say it again."

"I love you."

"Again"

"I love you, Mileena."

"Mmm...One more time?"

"I love you." Nightwolf murmured, "With all my heart, woman. There is no doubt in my mind." he said with a gentle squeeze. He kissed the top of my head and rubbed my back soothingly.

Those words meant more to me than anything in the world. I still couldn't fathom why or how he could love me, actually _love _me.

_He's lying, no one could love a monster like you, don't you see? Don't believe his lies! _

"No..." I mumbled. Get out of my head, you're not right. He does love me. I'm not a monster. Well, maybe I am, but Nightwolf loves me anyway. He said so. He wouldn't lie to me. I trust him. I trust him? Since when?

"What was that?" Nightwolf asked. I felt his words vibrating through his throat and rumbling in his chest.

"Nothing." I dismissed. Suddenly I remembered what I forgot to tell him last night. With an unsteadiness to my voice I said,

"Nightwolf, I made my decision. I'm going to stay." I said softly, "Just for a little while longer. But I'll have to be leaving soon. You're still gonna' heal me, right?"

"Of course," He answered. He sat up, bringing me into his lap along the way. Sideways I sat and looked up at him.

"Is that okay?" I wondered.

Nightwolf chuckled and pecked my lips, "It is. Come. We should get dressed now." he advised.

I nodded and climbed to my feet. Nightwolf stood as well and we both got dressed. I put on a pair of shorts and a cutoff red shirt and tucked my sai's into the belt loops. Nightwolf donned dark brown pants, his usual boots, and a festive headdress. He put on his belt, grabbed his weapons, and hooked an arm around my waist. It seemed to fit just right. I leaned onto his chest and let my hand wander to his behind. Damn he had no ass but that's okay. I slid my hand up to the middle of his back and let him lead us into the kitchen. He didn't seem to mind my groping him. I'm starting to think this shaman is a hell of a lot freakier than he lets on. He might be all stern and stuff when he's doing his job as chief, but when he's alone with me, he can get pretty dirty.

Sonya and Jax were already sitting at the table when we walked into the kitchen. Sonya looked out of it, but when she saw how Nightwolf still held me she sent a knowing look my way. I smirked. _Okay, woman, you were right this time. _I sat down in my usual spot. Nightwolf took his seat as well.

He regarded me seriously, "Mileena, we'll be leaving tonight; did you still want to stay here?" he asked. It killed me, that hopeful lilt in his voice.

"No I can't. I told you I have to do something." I said irritably. I wish he wouldn't have asked me again, I didn't like rejecting or denying him. It made me feel shitty and low.

"You _did_ tell me that." he said with a light smile, "Then I'll have to see you when I get back."

"Right," I muttered. I couldn't look at him because I knew I would see the hurt he was trying to hide. He may sound like he's okay with me not going, but I know him.

He stood and offered me his hand, "I'm going to the village square, would you like to come with me?"

Hell yeah, I thought, but what I said was, "Whatever." He smiled widely and brought my hand to his mouth.

"Let's go then." To Sonya and Jax he said, "If you need me, I'll be in the square. We'll leave after midnight."

It took about ten minutes of comfortable silence and moderate stares from passersby for us to reach the center of the village. Everything was decorated for the Harvest Festival and there was not a person indoors. Everybody was walking around, talking and laughing and eating and enjoying themselves. There were lanterns strung in the air and people in colorful clothing. Nightwolf had a contended expression and I let the sounds and smells permeate my senses. I closed my eyes and stood still, holding my arms around myself. I pretended it was the entire village embracing me.

Nightwolf stroked my shoulders and spoke next to my ear, "Is that how you concentrate? By closing your eyes and holding yourself?"

I nodded. He had no idea how much he had startled me just now. I broke out in an indulgent smile as I spotted a familiar figure bounding towards me.

"Mileena!" Elan called as he got closer. He maneuvered around the throng of people and handed me a pair of sweet smelling orange vegetables. They were wrapped in a napkin and slightly warm.

He turned to the chief behind me and said, "Hello, sir." Then he observed me as I bit into the soft, mushy food. I tried to be polite and even smiled but I couldn't totally keep the disgust from my face.

This tasted gross. It was weird and I didn't like it.

"How is it?" Elan chirped.

I swallowed thickly, "I think I'll stick to meat."

He laughed. "Come on, I want you to meet my family!" He tugged me along by the hand and hurried through the crowds. When we got to a cart that was flowing with brightly woven fabric he stopped. Manning the cart was a girl with short, choppy black hair and fierce dark eyes. Behind her was a sweet-looking older woman sitting on a wooden crate. Her cheeks were sunken in and her breathing seemed labored.

Elan went up to the old woman and took her mottled hand in his. He had to bend down to her height. He spoke a few words to her in his native tongue and a smile lit up her face. She exclaimed excitedly in a language I didn't understand and Elan turned back to me.

"This is my mama, Mileena." he introduced, then he made a few manual gestures to the young woman. Like the old woman, her face also broke out in a smile but she remained silently enthused.

Elan beamed, "And this is my older sister, Toya."

I nodded at both the woman and her young woman made rapid-fire motions with her hands, her fierce dark eyes never leaving mine. Her lips twitched humorously.

Elan watched her and then blushed. "My sister tells me that she is happy to see you. I told her a lot about you." Embarrassedly he led me away from them.

I had deduced that his sister must be either deaf or dumb, and by dumb I mean mute. I wonder what she 'said' to have embarrassed her brother. We walked around tasting more food and then Elan stopped at a circle of young men. Most of them looked under the age of eighteen, so when they sized me up I rolled my eyes.

Elan pointed to each of them in turn and gave their names but I really didn't care to remember any of them. He told me they were his cousins. A tiny boy in a thin bright orange shawl came skipping up to Elan. He chattered something in his own language and Elan again blushed. The child was pointed to me and saying some phrase over and over again but I didn't know what it meant.

One of Elan's cousin's translated. "Hey Elan, little Ishton is right; you do have a crush on her, don't you?" they jeered.

I rolled my eyes again. Elan shooed the little boy away and gave one of his laughing cousins a shove. He reprimanded them in his own tongue and then started walking away. I followed him with a light smile. That language, I wouldn't mind learning it. Maybe Nightwolf'll teach me sometime.

"Who was that baby?" I asked him. Elan sighed.

"That was my nephew, Ishton. He's incredibly annoying for such a little kid." Elan complained. The red was only just fading from his face. He had his hands stuffed in his pockets.

"He's a cute little brat." I noted. "Does everybody speak that language?"

"Apache? Yes." he replied, "Everybody is fluent in it. Not everyone can speak English as well, though; like my parents." he explained.

"Where's your father?" I asked. I hadn't seen him with his mother and sister.

Elan closed his mouth and looked down blankly, "He's with the other troops, I suppose." he said quietly. I got the impression he and the man didn't really have a good relationship but I couldn't be sure just by the way he spoke of him.

Suddenly Elan perked up and pointed straight ahead, "Oh look! There's your cousin!"

"My cousin?" I frowned.

Elan nodded, then looked thoughtful, "I think he's with someone," he observed.

I looked to where he was pointing and saw none other than Rain.

My stomach dropped down into my bowels and for a moment all my senses dulled and thrummed. There he was, standing amongst the people of this village as if he belonged. And if I had to bet, the person in the cloak next to him was probably Ermac; who else wears a fucking cloak of all things? In the summer, too? Sure, that wasn't suspicious.

"Do you want to go talk to him?" Elan asked.

I mutely nodded and left him behind. When I got a few feet away from them, their heads swiveled in my direction. Damn they're good. Tacitly we all three met eyes and Ermac led the way away from the celebration. The further we got from other people, the more I started freaking out.

_They're gonna' kill you, they're gonna take you in the woods and fucking murder you! _the voice wailed. Definitely not helping. I clutched both hands on either sides of my hips on top of my sai's. I squeezed the cold metal and tensed all my muscles in preparation for a fight. Carefully I stepped over sticks and logs and brambles as we trekked deeper into the forest. Ermac was in front of me, Rain was behind. I felt trapped. But I'll be damned if I go down without a fight. I didn't stick it out this long to be slaughtered like an animal.

Finally Ermac stopped in a clearing and I immediately pounced.

I spun around and kicked Rain in the chest, knocking him back a few feet. I yanked my sai's out of my belt loops and ran headlong towards him. He shot a jet-stream of water at me but I ducked and dove out of the way. I swung my knee up to his jaw but he knocked it away with his fist and probably caused a bruise. No matter. I deflected his blows and got in a few of my own. I had to fight for my life. Because I was human, I had to fight dirty and have no mercy. If I let up even a little bit the consequences would be dire.

Swiftly I jerked Rain by his ponytail and brought my knee up to his nose so hard it hurt me. He swore and punched me in the mouth.

"**That's enough," **Ermac said. They came up behind Rain and pulled the demi-god back by his neck. I was starting to wonder why Ermac hadn't gone against me as well. I braced myself for the host's attack, but it never came.

"Mileena we didn't come to fight you," Ermac stated. They flung Rain away like a dirty old sock and the prince had to pick himself up and dust the dirt and grass off his body.

I wiped at my bloody lip and grimaced, "Could have fooled me, asshole! What do you want then?"

Rain was just now making his way over to us and together the duo stood over me. I glared at them for all I was worth. I had my sai's at the ready and wasn't letting my guard down. These bastards think I'm stupid but I know not to trust anyone.

Ermac folded their arms and said, "We know you seek revenge against Quan Chi. Join us and we will not only aid you in your quest, but also allow you to reign the realms alongside Noob Saibot and ourselves."

I scoffed, "You're asking me to join you? Why the hell would I do that? I'm not signing up to get stabbed in the fucking back, thank you very much." I laughed bitterly.

Rain turned to glower at his partner and was about to say something but Ermac launched him away again. It seemed like the host was insistent on not letting the prince get a word in. Fine by me. As far as I was concerned this conversation was over anyway.

Ermac said, "Think hard, Mileena. Either you accept what we are offering you, or you perish by our hand" they warned ominously.

"I'm not joining you _filth_ so stop asking. Go ahead and kill me now if that's what you want, but I ain't gonna make it easy for you," I challenged.

Rain came crawling back with splinters all over him. "Who are you calling filth you half-breed whore!" He cried indignantly. His eyes were narrowed into slants. He stalked over towards me but Ermac held him back without even moving a muscle. Unless his mind counted as a muscle.

"If it were up to me," Rain seethed from his stationary position. "I'd let your ass burn with the rest of this damn village!" he spat viciously.

"_What_?" I asked dumbfoundedly. "What did you say about the village?"

Rain could see that he had hit a nerve and he grinned maliciously, "That's right. Bitch. We're burning this village to the ground. Preferably with you_ still in it_!" he yelled crazily.

"No!" I shouted angrily. I wouldn't let them touch this village. "You can't do that!"

Ermac shrugged, "Actually we can, and we will. If you change your mind and wish to accept our offer, meet us by the lake at dawn." they instructed nonchalantly.

I frowned in pure disgust and revulsion and shook my head. Without looking back I ran out of the woods and headed straight for Nightwolf. I had to warn him. I had to let him know before it was too late. I ran straight into Elan and he could tell something was up.

"Mileena what happened? Where's your cousin? What happened to your mouth?" he asked concernedly. I growled and pushed his worry aside.

"No time for that! I need to find Nightwolf! Where is he?" I barked. Elan nodded solemnly and pointed me in the right direction. I ran past the surprised masses but abruptly collapsed to the ground clutching my head as a rippling searing white-hot pain seized my body at once. It was like having blades slice through my brain.

_**Don't even think about it. We'll kill you before you can take your next breath** _

I shrieked and trembled and stubbornly climbed back onto my feet. "GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY HEAD!" I screamed much to the horror of everyone in the near vicinity. I could feel that damn host probing around in my mind, peeking in on my private and innermost memories. He stumbled upon many I wished he hadn't and ended up coming across the most prominent ones to do with me and Nightwolf. Chuckling darkly, the host put two and two together.

Elan sidled up next to me and helped me off of the dirt ground. Many people were staring. Some in concern. Some in fright. I didn't care. I was on autopilot right now. Elan stood there with an arm around my shoulder but I paid him no mind.

_**Join us now and we won't demolish the village.**_

_GET OUT!_ I shouted again, mentally this time. Ermac didn't respond. I shuddered and took a deep breath. And another. And five more. Still I couldn't calm down. It was a chilling feeling to have someone invade your mind and screw around in there. I had a feeling I wouldn't be able to just shake this off. Having one voice in my head was all that I could handle.

Now that the host's presence had totally left me I set my lips in a thin angry line and pulled away from Elan.

"Mileena what's going on?" he asked solemnly.

I just walked away from him. "Nothing, I need to be alone." I groused. I felt a certain way right now that I couldn't remember feeling in a very long time.

Unstable.

I broke out into a hard sprint. _I'm not going to tell Nightwolf so don't fucking assault me,_ I thought powerfully. I knew the host must have heard me because no more mental anguish ensued. I found myself exhausted on the outskirts of the village near the soldiers' barracks. It was empty. Of course. Everybody was there celebrating at the festival. They were laughing and cheering and having a good time. They just didn't know how dangerous this night could get if I messed up, even a little bit.

I growled, frustrated. This is the type of shit I was trying to avoid. I figured I could just skip out on Nightwolf and go and get my revenge and whatever happens, so be it. All the trouble and problems would come down on my head alone. But now Rain and Ermac are plotting to destroy the village and it's not even my fault. The bastards just see an opportunity and are acting on it. So why do I feel like this is my fault?

I can change things, though. If I leave, I can prevent the village from being under attack. I don't want to do it, I want to stay here with Nightwolf. But I know he wouldn't appreciate it if I chose to stay here and put all his people's lives at risk. It was our love or the fate of an entire village. For once, I had to do the right thing, the unselfish thing, the hardest thing. Damn I didn't want to leave but I felt like the choice had been made for me.

Oh well. I'll cry about it later.

Okay, so if I'm gonna be joining the ranks of Ermac and Noob and Rain then I'm going to need to be at my best; I'll have to ask Nightwolf to heal me. Today. There was no time to waste, and I wanted to make sure I was completely restored. I didn't want to enter the company of wolves unarmed, after all.

I sat there in the grass a little bit longer, just staring off and letting the wind blow over and around me. I fell onto my back and looked up at the pink and blue early evening sky. Time was passing. I had to take care of business now. I might not ever get to see Nightwolf again, I understand that, but at least I'll have left him on a good note. I'll have left protecting the village. I had such a hard time letting him know how I felt about him when he was pretty open about his feelings towards me. What better way to show him love than to give up what I wanted most for him?

Because this _was_ all for him, by the way.

I would have liked to say that being human gave me empathy for other mortals and that saving the village was a completely altruistic move on my part, but that would be a giant lie. I honestly didn't give a damn about these people. Sure they were okay, but besides Elan and the healer I really didn't care for them either way. But these people meant a lot to Nightwolf, they were all his family, so I would do my best to make sure they didn't have to face the wrath of Ermac and Rain.

Like I said. I could cry about this later.

"Well well _well_," a smooth voice chuckled. "Look what we got here."

I groaned. I did _not _feel like dealing with these punks right now. I stood and faced the trio with an aggravated sigh.

"Back the fuck off, I'm not in the mood for any bullshit right now." I ordered.

The leader took a step in my direction with the other two behind him. He grinned and winked. "Don't be like that baby," he cajoled. "'Cause I can get you in the mood, alright."

I rolled my eyes, "Bitch please. As if you could."

The leader took this as a challenge. He was definitely too close now. The other two were not too far behind and were obviously already full of liquor. They were giggling like hyenas and egging each other on. If only the leader were as drunk. It would be easier to subdue him.

Yes, subdue; I can't kill them because Nightwolf would never forgive me. Maybe he would, but I didn't want to take that chance.

The leader made a grab at my waist and I pushed him back. "Get away from me!"

"Just give me a kiss," he smirked. He made that same move and dipped his head down but I swung and punched him in his jaw. He hissed and backhanded me. Hard.

I stumbled back a few steps and wiped at my mouth. It was bleeding for the second time in not even an hour. I balled my fists and lunged for him. I managed to scratch up his face real good and kick him in the back. He was dodging most of my hits, though, and I was still fatigued from what happened earlier with Rain and Ermac. I wouldn't give up, though.

"Damn't, she's fast! Hold that bitch down!" Leader told his minions.

Dumb and Dumber tried to grab at me but I easily evaded them. That's what he gets for having wasted henchmen. However, while I was distracted with the two bumbling soldiers, Leader came up and got in a free hit. He punched me in the stomach so hard I felt it seconds after his fist had left the area. I crumpled to my knees and he grabbed a fistful of my hair and slapped me. Twice.

"You just had to make this difficult, didn't you?" Leader scolded. "Hold her down!"

This time they had me, by an arm each. The leader slammed me down onto my back in the grass and held one hand over my throat. I couldn't pull my arms free but I did have a death grip on my sai's. I was just waiting for one of them to let their guard down and ease up off me. As it was the leader was straddling my hips and his minions had a hold of my arms.

Greedily the leader looked me up and down. I knew that look, it was like how Nightwolf stared at me sometimes, only not as fucking depraved. I kicked and squirmed but it did me no good. I was stuck. The man let go of my neck and roughly handled my shorts. I froze.

He wouldn't do that to me out here, would he?

Panic and fear began to set in. I doubled my efforts and made desperate noises in my haste to get free. The bastard took some kind of sick pleasure in that.

"Nobody can hear you, baby. Everybody's in the square. They're havin' their fun. Now I'll have mine." he snickered. He fiddled with the zipper of the shorts and I panted. He mistook this for excitement even with the fearful look I knew was painted on my features.

"I knew you'd come around." he leered. He tugged my shorts down and flung them away. My heart was pounding away in my throat.

Next he tore at my shirt. It was not a durable fabric, I should know; I altered it myself. He ripped the red cloth away and then worked on the bindings that covered my breasts. I was running out of time. I couldn't get free. My hands were stuck fast and his weight bore down uncomfortably on top of me.

"Aw, yeah," he grinned. He cut at the bindings with his nails and had those flung away as well. Now I lay bare from the waist up, and those mini-shorts underwear were covering much. I felt so exposed and vulnerable and I hated it. Bitter, outraged tears slid hotly down the sides of my eyes and I gnashed my teeth painfully. Never had I felt so helpless as I did now.

The monster groped at my breast coarsely. He squeezed and tugged and bit down but it wasn't pleasant and sensual like when Nightwolf had done it. This just hurt. When I cried out, it wasn't because it felt good. It just hurt so bad. I felt so damn violated.

That wasn't the worst part. He had the nerve to force a kiss on me. Stupid move. I bit down hard on his tongue and he cried out in pain. Another slap he struck across my face. My blood mingled with his. I spat it all out in his face and he punched me so hard I was seeing fucking stars.

Then he reached around my underwear and jammed not one or two but three of his fingers inside of me. I wasn't ready for that kind of pain. I screamed and writhed and sobbed as he pushed and pulled them choppily in and out.

"Stop! Please!" I shrieked. I didn't care if I sounded pathetic, I just wanted this to be over! He laughed, right in my face.

"Take it, bitch!" He growled cruelly. He had my blood on his hands. Down there it stung and burned. He didn't stop. He gripped both my thighs and snapped them wide open. I was crying loudly now, the sound was foreign to even my own ears.

His hands left my body and went to his own. He pulled open his own pants and in that moment I snapped. I think it was because the idea affected me so badly; the idea that he, this asshole, was about to steal something very precious from me. Something I had wanted to save for the one I cared about and the only person I trusted with my safety, my heart, my body. The one that I loved.

I. _REFUSE_. To lay here and let him steal that from me.

Brute strength had to have hit me. That and adrenaline. And perhaps a little of something else, something incredibly feral and base. Whatever it was that took over me, it had me blindly lashing out. I couldn't see or keep up with what I was doing. I slashed limbs and body parts without discretion. A throat was punctured here. Multiple stabs there. I didn't care what I was doing, I just had to let it out. All that pent up rage that had been building when they'd taken advantage of me. I was screaming my head off, that much I was vaguely aware of. And when I was finished, I was on a high.

The carnage that was lain out before me. The rush. The thrill. The crazed stint of invigoration I got from killing; it was back and it was in full force. I shook and laughed out loud, but the feeling didn't last long. Reality started catching up with me and my laughter turned to disconsolate moans of despair.

"Fuck fuck fuck FUUUCK!" I sobbed. "What have I done?" I wailed. Oh I knew what I'd done. The mangled, bloody, bruised, castrated bodies were evidence enough. I had killed them. All of them. I was covered in their blood. And the worst part was, not a twinge of regret swam through my nerves. I didn't feel in the least bit guilty or ashamed. There was no remorse. Not for murdering them.

But Nightwolf would surely hate me now.

Maybe. Maybe I could make him understand. It's not my fault. I didn't mean to do it. No, I did mean to do it, but I didn't want to do it. Okay, I did want to do it, but it wasn't my initial intention to do it. They pushed me too far. They brought the monster out in me. No, _they_ were the monsters. _They_ did the assaulting. _They_ made me feel lower than the shit beneath their shoes. What I did was not my fault. It wasn't my fault. It wasn't my fault.

* * *

_It's getting late,_ Tvari noted absently. He couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. When he saw Elan looking troubled and talking to Nightwolf, he had to go over and see what was up.

Tvari was not blind. Not completely, anyway. Even he could see that the wench and Nightwolf shared a special sort of relationship that was bringing the shaman happiness and changing the woman's ways. He did want the best for his friend and if that came in the form of a foul-mouthed, violent little woman then so be it. He would not interfere. He could not stand that wench, but if she made his chief happy he would leave her be.

"Is there something wrong, sir?" Tvari asked. He adjusted the blindfold over his missing eye self-consciously. No, Mileena was most certainly not his favorite person as of late.

Nightwolf looked mildly distressed and Elan was a bit out of sorts as well. Neither of them could answer him at first. He didn't see that insufferable woman around so naturally he figured that's what they were worried about.

"Where is she?" he asked.

Nightwolf looked to Elan who said, "She left with her cousin. When she came back she was screaming and suffering from some kind of hysterical fit. She ran off towards the Northern edge. She said she needed to be alone."

Tvari rolled his good eye and didn't really see the oddness of the situation; the woman was often hysterical. Then he remembered that her 'cousin' was a demi-god and was most likely hunting her. He didn't think any harm had befallen the woman but he supposed he would go and check on her. See if she took care of the Edenian menace.

"Where are you going?" Elan asked. He had made to follow his general but Tvari waved him away. Damn boy.

"Stay here, Elan. Enjoy the festival." Tvari called over his shoulder. The general headed for the Northern edge and by the time he got there, he was greeted by a grisly scene.

* * *

Curled up amidst the blood and gore with my knees up to my chest, arms wrapped tightly around myself, tears flowing steadily down my face. That was how the Prick of all people found me. It was near-dark then. I could barely see him through the curtain of my hair. My hair. It was matted with sweat. Blood. Dirt. Who knows what else. I didn't want to see him. I wasn't ready yet.

"What have you done?" he whispered. It seemed like for eons he had stood there, across the expanse of stained grass just staring at the things I did.

"I made...a mess." I spoke whimsically. I tilted my head and stared detachedly at the broken men around me. I stood but came toppling back down. I didn't have the strength to break my fall and I knew the Prick wasn't gonna catch me.

"You did this" he neutrally asked. There was no tone to his voice, no upraised end of his sentence to let me know he had asked a question.

"It's not my fault." I spoke back with just as much feeling: next to none. I just felt numb. He gave the dead bodies a wide berth and came to stand over me. He literally looked down his nose at me.

"Why." he stated.

Quivering lip, stinging wet eyes and a half-swallowed whimper was my only answer. He knelt down and observed the murdered soldiers with a faint grimace.

"You castrated him." he mused. A sob wracked through me but he didn't show any indication of having heard it.

"Tell me wench," he said in an uncharacteristically soft voice, "Did he rape you?"

I broke down. But only for a moment.

"Mileena!" he barked, giving me a start. He reached forward and clenched my chin in his fingers. "Answer me."

"Might as well have." I ground out. I was numb again.

He let go of my chin and nodded grimly, "I see. Then perhaps it's a good thing you killed them. Nightwolf would have surely done worse."

"Are you gonna tell him?" I asked aloofly.

"I'm afraid I must." he answered not at all apologetically.

"Of course." I whispered with a trace of sardonic resentment.

He stood up, "Get up."

"I can't," I whispered again. He actually picked me up. If I weren't so out of touch with my nerves and emotions right now I'd be shocked as hell. He was actually being gentle with me. Maybe the prick had a semblance of a heart after all.

"Where are we going?" I asked him quietly. I shivered as the night grew colder and he stiffly held onto me.

"To the chief. He needs to know what's going on." he said.

And then out of nowhere I was attacked by that blinding head pain again. I screamed in agony and clutched my temples. The Prick almost dropped me.

**The agreement is off. We would kill you, but we want you to witness this village's demise because of your treachery and deceit**

"No!" I cried. I jumped out of his arms and that did me a whole lot of good. My legs had all the strength of wet noodles right now. I fell on my ass.

"What is the meaning of this?" Tvari sounded highly weirded out. Not so unemotional now.

I normally refrained from touching the prick but this was an emergency, "Pick me up, we have to get to the village, it's under attack!"

Without another word he did as I said. "Who is attacking? How do you know?"

I wrapped my arms around his neck for stability. He was running super fast and jostling my already upset stomach. I didn't want to hurl all over him.

"Rain and Ermac. They were supposed to leave the village alone as long as I joined them but they thought I was going to try and warn Nightwolf so they called off the deal," I huffed out.

I had to stop talking. I was sick to the bottom of my stomach and breathing hard was not helping matters. Thankfully Tvari didn't ask me anything else. He and I silently made our way back to the village. He was sprinting top speed and I was struggling to hang on. When the first few huts came into view, my heart plummeted.

Fire. Screaming. Pandemonium.

People were running in circles and there was at least two huts set ablaze. Tvari pushed his way through the shouting crying crowds. I found myself just as scared as everyone else and the Prick was a rock that I could cling to in the chaos. But then he put me down.

"Go find Nightwolf. I need to get these people out of here." he instructed. I couldn't focus, I was too busy being caught up in all that was going on around me. He gave me a push and ran off. I held myself and whimpered. Now was not the time to be weak. I hardened my resolve and ducked and dodged through the people looking for Nightwolf. At the square I came upon him.

He alone was facing off against Ermac and Rain. Sonya and Jax were fighting a small army of about thirty Netherealm demons. A handful of sober troops were herding people away from the square and into huts and out of harm's way. Things did not look good.

Nightwolf was holding his own against the demi-god and the host but when he caught sight of me he got distracted.

"Mileena, get out of here!" he implored. If only he knew.

His moment of weakness allowed Ermac to force him to his knees with his arms pulled painfully behind him. Rain had a watery blade drawn in seconds and that's when I knew I had to act quickly. I threw my sai with deadly accuracy and it lodged itself in Rain's left hand. He screamed a high-pitched cry of pain and shot my sai back at me. I effortlessly plucked it out of the air as it sailed over my head. He was a lousy marksman. I fearlessly approached Ermac.

"Stop this," I demanded, "I'll come with you, just leave them alone."

Rain cradled his bloody hand, "No! You had your chance; the deal's off, bitch!"

Ermac silenced their partner and nodded at me, "Very well. Let us be off, then." Along with Rain, they began walking away. With a flick of their wrist Ermac called off all the Netherealm minions and then turned to me.

I blinked hard. "Just let me say goodbye,"

"**Make it quick. **We will be waiting at the lake." they told me. I nodded and watched both he and his forcibly silent partner retreat into the woods.

Now that people could see the danger was no more, an eerie silence had descended upon the entire area. Sonya and Jax were both spent and relying on each other for support. The troops were still putting people away. Nightwolf was looking at me with tons of emotions that were passing too quickly for me to distinguish. He came up to my but I wouldn't let him embrace me.

"No don't. Stop. Move. Get _away_!" I told him forcefully. Sadly he backed up and fully appraised me.

"Mileena you don't have to do this," he told me.

I shook my head. "I do. This whole attack was my fault. I let you down, Nightwolf. I don't belong here. I'm a threat," I spoke mechanically.

"No," he chanted, "No, my love. You do belong here; you belong with _me_."

I looked down and away, "I don't think so." Holding his gaze I told him, "I'm sorry, Nightwolf. I have to go."

And so without looking back I left him. I left the village that was almost my home. I left the man that was almost my husband. I left behind the mess I'd made. I didn't give him one last kiss because that would have been too much. If I let him kiss me one more time, I'd never be able to leave.

* * *

**A/N: Lots of angst and sadness in this chapter. Sorry about that. Things will be moving along still, so don't stop reading! There's more in store for our little couple; it's not over yet! Leave your reviews please, you know the drill! Until Next Time...**

**~DymondGold~**


	19. Provoked

**A/N: Here's the next chapter. I had to upload this so many times; Some days I really hate this computer...-_-**

**Thank you for your continued support, btw! **

**Disclaimer: I don't own MK or any of its characters/themes.**

* * *

**Chapter Nineteen**

* * *

I had only begun to get a grasp on my roiling emotions by the time I met up with the host and the demi-god at the lake. Rain hissed out an impatient sigh.

"About damn time. Let's get out of this place," he grumbled to his partner. Ermac said nothing as he opened a lime green portal and stepped through with Rain on his heels.

I looked back in the direction of the village and sniffed dryly. Would I ever see this place again? Maybe, maybe not. You never can tell in times like these. All I can do is keep moving forward and hope my path crosses with _his _again. I walked through the quickly shrinking portal and was not surprised to see Khan's abandoned coliseum in front of me.

The place was in pretty good shape considering the final battles that took place here. It was empty, though, and had an eerie whistle tumbling through it. The light wind stirred up dust around my feet and tried in vain to dry up the moisture on my cheeks. I heard a voice then, a cleared throat, and instinctively grabbed both of my bloody sai's from my waist.

"At ease, Mileena, I mean you no harm," said the black figure leaning against one of the ivory columns.

Noob.

I tucked my sai's back into my belt loops but didn't move my hands from their hilts. No way was I letting my guard down around these wolves. I rolled my shoulders and stepped back away from him, who was making his way towards Ermac, who was seated casually on Khan's old throne. A few feet away from me was Rain. He and I faced the old dais warily.

Noob leaned both his hands on the back of the throne and said wryly, "Welcome to the alliance! As the co-founder, I will be serving as the backbone of the group; my job is to stand back and offer support, and to also hold everyone together." he explained.

Rain and I shared a blank look before the wraith spoke again.

"Ermac here, the other co-founder, will be acting as the head of the organization. It is his duty to come up with schemes and other dastardly deeds to be enacted." he stated.

On the throne Ermac's glowing green orbs flickered in a gesture of annoyance but the host kept quiet.

Noob pointed to Rain and I. "You two," he said, "will be the arms and legs of this faction. Like the limbs of a body, you will be taking orders from the head, who happens to be Ermac. Those orders will be enforced by yours truly." he finished with his arms crossed.

I really didn't care. I just wanted to get this over with. "Whatever." I told him numbly in response.

Rain, though, wasn't so agreeable. "What the hell? I thought this was an alliance! Why am I taking orders from _him_? If anything it should be the other way around; I'm the royal here" he said haughtily.

I grimaced; this guy is so full of himself.

Ermac started to rise but Noob placed a hand on his shoulder and said to Rain, "You're going to have to respect the hierarchy of authority that's already in place."

"And if I don't?" Rain challenged.

Ermac would be silent no longer, "Then perhaps an amputation is in order; that is what happens to uncooperative limbs, after all." he threatened.

Rain had the sense to keep his mouth shut but still sported a nasty scowl. Again Noob addressed him.

"Do you want to be a part of this alliance or not?" he asked him solemnly. "If you do, then you're going to have to put the hostility aside and accept your role."

Rain didn't look like that was at all what he wanted to do but he just nodded once and sent a baleful glare Ermac's way. I scoffed to myself at the petty prince and turned to the host. I don't have time for this.

"Just tell us what we have to do," I demanded.

Ermac obliged. "You two are to kill the emperor and retrieve the amulet of Shinnok." he said simply.

Hm. Sounds easy enough. Beside me Rain went stiff as a statue. He froze for about a minute but then seemed to snap out of it.

"How am I supposed to do that?" he asked, completely leaving me out of the equation.

"Work with your partner and figure something out," Noob suggested dully.

Ermac sneered, "**You have one week to do this; if you fuck this mission up, we'll hold _you _responsible." **He told Rain.

I glanced between the two with an unamused sigh. I wasn't surprised to see they still don't get along. I had to work with these two before, I know how much they hate each other.

"Do you understand and accept this mission?" Noob asked.

There was a silent pause but Rain and I both nodded affirmatively. The wraith shrugged.

"You really have no choice; were you to decline, you'd leave me no choice but to kill you. You both already know too much." he said dismissively.

While he was speaking, Ermac had strode over to Rain and me and gripped the back of our necks in a pinch. He moved so quickly I didn't have a chance to retaliate. He launched himself in the air before Rain or I could get a hit in.

"What the hell was that?" Rain complained loudly. Like me, he was rubbing the sore spot on the back of his head at the base of his skull.

It wasn't out loud but mentally Ermac answered, _**We don't trust either of you fuckers so we placed a mind link on you both.**_

Apparently when he spoke both of us could hear him because the look Rain and I shared was one of complete understanding. I was immediately outraged and thoughts of what I wanted to do to him made their way to the surface of my mind.

"AH!" I cried out. He had given me a snippet of the horrible pain I had to endure earlier today. Rain was crying out similarly. Had he been thinking the same thing?

_**No, we just don't like him.**_

I had to find a way to keep Ermac out of my head, or at least keep my thoughts locked up.

_Leave it to me. _

I was never so glad to hear that miserable old voice in my head than I was now. Suddenly Ermac's presence wasn't so overbearing anymore. It was still there, but his influence over me had dimmed. I smirked and was actually appreciative towards that voice; or was it an entity?

_Neither, _it answered. I frowned. Does this mean it can stop the mental attacks from Ermac?

_I can, _it responded smugly. Ire rose within me. "Then why the fuck didn't you stop them before?" I growled to myself.

All quiet on the western front. Typical.

"If you're done talking to yourself, we can get going," Rain jeered, "Since I know the quickest way to the palace from here, I think I'll be in charge." he proclaimed.

_The hell you will,_ I thought, but followed him anyway. We both looked bad; I was covered in dirt and blood and my shorts were torn, so was my shirt, and my hair had all kinds of twigs and leaves and shit in it. Rain only wore tattered black pants that were singed in some places and his ponytail had been replaced with a more shaggy style. He had cuts and bruises littering his exposed chest and back but they were healing fast. Lucky bastard. Between my legs was sore and burning still and the bruises I had wouldn't heal for at least a couple of weeks.

We kept walking and walking and glaring and walking until it started to get dark. By now we were in the wastelands. If what I knew of Pasty was true, he's probably hiding out in the desert nowadays. There was a base there. It looks like that's the direction Rain is headed in.

My legs were already sort of weak to begin with and now, hours later, they were threatening to give out on me. I hadn't had a real break all day and since the sky had taken on a purplish hue, I decided it was time to call it a night.

"Let's stop here and start again in the morning." I declared. He all but pitched a fit.

"No! We need to make it at least across the Sea of Blood," he argued.

I rolled my eyes, "I can't! I'm dead on my feet as it is,"

"Figures," he mumbled disdainfully.

I frowned, "We can't all be fucking gods; I'm human now, I need to stop and sleep."

He huffed melodramatically and crossed his arms, "Of course."

Rain was really getting on my last nerve. "I didn't complain when you took all those damn piss breaks, did I? Jeez, you're such a fucking spoilt brat."

"No I'm not!" he yelled. He balled his fists and narrowed his eyes. "You're just a dumb whore! I don't know why they put _you _in the alliance anyway,"

"Oh so that's what this is about," I mused angrily, "You just don't like me."

Rain smirked, "Took you long enough to figure that out."

"What did I do to get on His High-ass's bad side?" I mocked, "Was is the way I kicked your ass all those weeks ago? Or was it the fact that I broke your nose earlier?"

Grinding his teeth Rain advanced towards me with the intent to kill. I was tired, but I was ready. My fingers closed familiarly around the bottom of my sai's and I fell into a defensive position.

My opponent was flung backwards several feet away, right into a dying fire. While he was dousing himself in water and shouting expletives, an ominous voice rang through our heads.

_**Stop provoking each other and get the mission over with! We're sick of listening to you two argue!**_

"Then let go of the mind link!" I barked fiercely. The pain came swiftly. I gripped the sides of my head and staggered around dizzily as the brunt of it swept through me. I was forced to the ground and curled my knees up to my chest. Bitterly I ground my teeth. Finally it seemed like he had been shut out by the voice. Or entity. Or whatever the thing was in my brain. The pain stopped, but the damage had already been done. At least my thoughts and memories were still hidden.

"He'll have to let it go, pretty soon," Rain said in a strained voice. He shook his shoulders and let the remaining streaks of water fly off of himself. He didn't look too pleased about what had happened either.

"What?" I stuttered. How he was able to speak in polysyllabic sentences so soon after that last attack was beyond me. I was still shaking a little but was coming around.

I scooted in the dirt back against the rusted iron of the main gates. This was Edenia's southlands, I recognized the foul and heavy stench of death and destruction weighing in the air. My hands stroked over my shoulders trying to rub away the goosebumps and my eyelids blinked rapidly. I was starting to calm down.

Rain had finally relented and had taken a seat a good distance away from me, right in the center of the dragon emblem carved into the dirt. He leaned back on his elbows and spread his legs as far as they would go. Neither of us said anything, just sat there in our respective positions and breathed in the dirty air deeply. I was starting to feel the tiredness creep up on me again, and I had no problem falling asleep, even with Rain so nearby. I was fatigued. All the events of the day were crashing back down on me and bearing down on my chest like anvils. I succumbed to a dream-like state while curled up on my side.

* * *

Nightwolf was beyond words. Absolutely speechless. His heart was hurting; that was an understatement. He couldn't get that beast to stop whining and it was giving him a headache, among other ailments. His body was tired, mainly his back. It was killing him. He had busied himself throughout the day by doing various repairs around the village. Luckily there were only two huts destroyed in the fires, as well as a number of lanterns broken and strewn everywhere; it would seem the lanterns were used to cause the blaze. He had been down to the barracks and had all his men accounted for. Except for three. There were only three casualties but several men were injured. All of the villagers had been safely stowed away; the evacuation procedures in his village were nothing if not efficient. He had made his speech to his people, offering them reassurances and telling them of his plans to leave later were less than pleased about that, but there was little he could do. He had given his word that he would heal the Chinese warrior, and he believed that when he did so maybe the monk could offer his assistance.

The attack let Nightwolf know that he had to do more to protect his people. He couldn't just sit idly by and pretend there wasn't a war going on. He had to have men on guard at all times. He had to build up a resistance. He had to train and ally himself with the band of mortal warriors and fight off whatever threat or evil is afoot. But first, he had to find Tvari and get a full report on his end.

Nightwolf had more trouble than usual dealing with all this. He was a chief, and not a new one; he shouldn't be this frazzled. Especially since there was so little lost in this battle. No, not even that. It was a skirmish, at best. So why was he so upset?

_**We've lost our woman,**_the beast bemoaned. _**I blame you,** _it added. Oh that's just great. Somebody else blaming him for what's happened. He was the people's beloved chief but he could feel their disapproval; upon telling them of his imminent departure it was near-palpable.

Nightwolf was blind to the outside world, caught in inner turmoil with nothing but his bare feet to guide him. His boots had caught on fire some time during the early morning incident and had to be shed. He vaguely took note of the dirt and ashes being trampled underfoot but gave no real notice to them. Eventually he bumped into someone. Two someones.

"We're ready when you are, Nightwolf," Miss Blade said. She and her partner were carrying between them a make-shift cloth stretcher with a wincing soldier sprawled on it. They were trying to help, and if that didn't just touch Nightwolf's bleeding heart in the warmest of ways.

"I think that once Liu is back up and on his feet he'll be a big help to us," Sonya proclaimed. She wiped sweat from her brow and shifted the ends of the cloth so that she was gripping it over her shoulders.

Nightwolf regarded them both with a nod. Jax halted in his limping gait and turned to the chief.

"You think you can contact Raiden?" he asked. Sonya nodded her head in agreement.

"He definitely needs to know about this." She amended.

Nightwolf nodded and ran a hand through his long hair; it got stuck for all the small pieces of nature trapped in it. He decided to forgo his search for the general and contact Raiden instead. With purpose he strode through the quiet village and made his way toward the lake. He got there soon enough, but what greeted him made him stop. Tvari was there, not five feet away from Nightwolf who was concealed by a layer of trees and shrubs. Also there was one who could only be the diligent young Elan. Nightwolf could feel the tension between the two, and did not reveal himself just yet.

* * *

In truth the General had not been seeking the boy out. He just came down to the lake to sort out his racing thoughts and this is what he happened upon: Elan. Shoulders quivering. Ankle-deep in the water. Head downcast.

"You'll ruin your boots," Tvari said casually.

Furiously Elan wiped at his face but he otherwise didn't move. He kept his back to the general and that was seen as a sign of disrespect. Normally. However, Tvari knew that something was eating the kid. Rather than just leave Elan be and try to make sense of his own thoughts Tvari decided to do something out of the ordinary. He would stay, and he would talk to him.

In a watery voice Elan said miserably, "I don't deserve these boots."

Frowning deeply, Tvari immediately tried to pick apart the boy's reasoning for those words. What made him want to feel that way? Perhaps he should ask. Elan began speaking again.

"Because of me, this village was attacked. B-Because of me, three men are _dead_." he enunciated with a stammer. He had obviously been crying. When he turned around the general could see the evidence of the fact.

Red were his dark brown eyes and streaked with tears was his normally youthful face. With pursed lips Elan regarded his superior and then turned back to the placid body of water.

"Oh. So that's what this is about." Tvari mused flatly. Bluntly he asked, "Do you honestly think you have that kind of power?"

Elan was taken aback and said, "S-sir?"

"Do you think you can control whether this village stays safe or not?" he repeated. "You can't." he answered for him, "So don't go blaming yourself, it's useless."

Elan was silent but then replied, "I know this but if I hadn't trusted the enemy, if I hadn't been so _stupid, _maybe all this wouldn't have happened. I told the enemy about the festival. I helped him, gave him things." he closed his eyes and screwed up his lips bitterly.

Tvari adjusted his blindfold and rolled his good eye, "You're right, you did screw up on that note. You're far too naive and gullible. But it's not the end of all things, you made a mistake. We all do. Perhaps this will teach you an infallible lesson."

Elan still looked disconsolate but there was a hopeful shine to his eyes when he asked, "Is Mileena alright?"

Tvari was torn. But only for a moment. Elan was not a child, he needed to know the truth. "She's gone. She left with the enemies."

Crestfallen and hurt as he was, Tvari didn't regret telling him the truth. He was going to find out anyway. Still, though, he didn't like that expression on his youngest soldier's face. He decided to give him a bit of good news.

"It's not your fault those three men are dead." Tvari said matter-factly.

Without hesitation Elan asked, "Whose fault is it?"

"Does it matter?" Tvari remarked evasively. He hadn't counted on Elan asking that. So much for the bit of good news, he's just opened a fresh can of worms.

"Of course it matters, those were our brothers who were slain; who did that to them?" Elan cried in righteous indignation.

Sighing and cursing his luck Tvari answered slowly, "The wench."

Realization was slow to peak over the soldier's features, "You don't mean..."

"Oh but I do." Tvari stated with not a twinge of emotion in his monotone reply.

Elan's face contorted into one of obstinacy, "I don't believe it," he stubbornly declared.

Impatiently Tvari snapped, "Don't be ridiculous, boy! What reason do I have to lie! She's done it and she's left the village. Will your childish altruism blind you yet again?" he chided.

Fully cowed but still a little defiant Elan shook his head, "No sir, I just don't understand why she would...Oh gods," he then exclaimed softly with reverent horror.

Tvari could sense that the boy had experienced some sort of epiphany, "What is it?"

Elan's eyes were intensely anxious when he asked, "Who were the fallen men?"

Tvari didn't know how that tied into Elan's sudden emotional onset but he told him anyway. Now the boy was absolutely distressed.

"No..." he mouthed. He looked down and away and knitted his brows together worriedly. In three smooth strides Tvari was in front of him and gripped his shoulders tightly.

"What. Is it?" he demanded in a no-nonsense tone.

Elan didn't dare deny him, "I know why she killed them, I mean I think I do. She wanted to get back at them, because they had beaten me up pretty badly and-"

"Why did they do that to you?" Tvari outrageously asked.

"I challenged them." Elan said brazenly, "They were saying dishonorable things about Mileena and I challenged them. I lost." he added sheepishly.

_I think that goes without saying, _Tvari thought.

"They were often messing with her, and she wanted to pick a fight with them but I made her promise she wouldn't." Elan admitted.

"She didn't exactly break that promise." Tvari explained, "She killed them not because she was itching for a fight, but because they assaulted her. Sexually." he said in a cold, clipped voice.

He was not at all proud of what his own men had done to the wench; not even _she _deserved to be abused in such a way. If anyone was to be abusing her, it would be him, on the training grounds.

Suddenly there was a horrendous snarl that tore through the near-vicinity and forced both men to cover their ears. The chief himself came stomping through the woods. _Damn, he must have heard me, _Tvari thought in dismay. He was hoping to break the news to his friend gently, not like this.

"Why didn't you tell me about this sooner?" Nightwolf growled low in his throat. He was stunningly menacing. His eyes had flipped and bled red, and his sharp teeth were bared. He looked ready to transform at a moment's notice.

Tvari said in a formal tone, "I apologize sir."

He had no excuse, none that would get through to his chief at the current time. The best thing to do was to be as submissive as possible.

"Are you sure that this is the case? Those bodies were past mangled." Nightwolf bit out. He was asserting his dominance over whatever was trying to possess him and his eyes were fading back to black. He was still rigid as wood.

"She is more than capable of doing that kind of damage, sir, I would know," Tvari cursed as soon as the words left his pale lips.

"And how is that?" Nightwolf asked dangerously.

With a heavy gulp Tvari answered, "I've been offering her training sessions for about a month now."

Nightwolf was back to his normal, albeit confused and furious, self now. "Why would you do that."

"I was hoping you wouldn't ask." the ruby-eyed general stalled.

"Well I have, now answer me," Nightwolf retorted shortly.

Huffing a sigh Tvari explained how he attacked Mileena and how she blackmailed him into giving her free lessons. Nightwolf did not take this well at all.

"You lied to me? To my face?" he cried. His ragged voice was disbelieving and incredibly hurt. Tvari couldn't even look at him.

Nightwolf was once again speechless. How could his closest friend keep this from him? How could Mileena? She lied as well, she told him that pathetic excuse about running into a tree. Those bruises, they had been by the general's hand all this time.

"What else are you keeping from me?" Nightwolf tonelessly asked. Tvari shook his head. Nightwolf found he couldn't stand the sight of his 'friend' any longer.

"Get away from me. Before I do something I'll surely regret." Nightwolf murmured quietly but powerfully.

"Sir," Tvari started.

"GO!" Nightwolf barked. Tvari needed no further provocation to turn tail and leave. He had to speak with his chief when he was calmer. Now was not the time.

Nightwolf turned to Elan and gave him a pointed look. Shaking his head and filling his eyes with a never-before-seen hardness the youth left in his general's wake. There was a rustling in the woods behind the shaman and Nightwolf spun around with his weapons drawn. Nothing was there. He sighed and sank to the forest floor. The lake offered him no sense of peace this time. He found no solace in being surrounded by his natural, environmental element.

The wind ebbed and swirled uncharacteristically around him and at first he thought it was about to storm, then the winds began to caress him: for once, the spirits have sought _him _out. He converted his body into a meditative position and pushed everything out of his mind for the moment. Nightwolf could feel them trying to comfort him. It soothed his soul.

_Beloved, _they whispered, _Beloved _they repeated like a mantra. They seemed to flow through his body and leave behind a serenity he direly needed. He stripped away his pride and humbly asked of them,

"What is going on? I don't know who to believe, or what to do." he admitted. He didn't have to say a word for them to know the extent of his troubles. They heard and saw everything, after all. It was whether or not they chose to impart that information to Nightwolf that was the recurring issue. It looked like today was not one of those days.

There were more whispers and epithets but nothing was told to Nightwolf at all. He wasn't complaining, though. He felt more at ease with his situation than he had before and he felt as if he could face it rationally and without killing anyone now, which was a big improvement.

Granted, he still had lingering thoughts of Mileena that probably would be abated until she was back in his arms again. He couldn't think about her right now; it was too painful. He might even cry. Damn he hadn't cried in ages. He forced her back into the deepest darkest loneliest schema of his mind and vowed not to open that closet until he could do what he had to do concerning the war effort.

Now he was back in chief-mode. He schooled his features and tried to contact Raiden. Fifteen minutes passed with no luck. He shrugged and didn't let it bother him. He would try again. He walked rapidly back to the healer's hut, which had gotten a significant amount of traffic today, and told Jax and Sonya he was getting ready to leave. They stopped working and followed him back to his own hut.

Nightwolf packed lightly; dried meats, canteens of water, a change of clothes, and a few weapons were placed carefully in a satchel bag. That was all he needed. While he was going through his drawers he tried not to dwell on how much the altered clothing reminded him of Mileena. He slung the bag over his shoulder and lumbered out into the hall.

"Ready?" Sonya asked when Nightwolf entered the den.

She pretended not to noticed the heavy raincloud above the shaman's head; that was how obvious his depression was to her. She wondered aloofly if Mileena was going through similar sadness. Probably not.

"I am," Nightwolf murmured back steadily.

Along their way out of the village the trio ran into Tvari. Nightwolf didn't so much as bat an eye in the general's direction.

"Sir I-" Tvari began. The chief kept walking.

"I'll speak with you when I return," Nightwolf cut him off tightly. He was still extremely angry with Tvari.

In silence they reached the southern edge of the village. Nightwolf looked back and made a personal vow. He would get Mileena back.

No matter what it took.

* * *

Choking and spluttering and soaking wet was how I woke up this morning and it threw me way off. There was no storm, I wasn't near any body of water, so that can only mean one thing; the demi-god. The culprit sat back on his haunches across from me, much closer than he had been last night.

After I caught my breath I jumped up and grabbed my sai's. "What the fuck was that for?!"

Rain looked up at me innocently, "You were creeping me out."

I was again thrown for the loop. "Wha-what are you talking about?" I asked. It was early morning, just after dawn looked like. It was also kind of chilly.

"You were screaming and rolling on the ground like a mutt with rabies. It freaked me out so I doused you with water," he explained unaffectedly. He stood and dusted off his pants.

I stood and shivered. I was wet all over. I rubbed my arms and thought about what Rain had said. I know I had a nightmare, but I don't remember what it was about. How...embarrassing.

"It's still pretty early, I'm going to the hot springs for an hour." Rain informed me. He gave me that famous once-over, "You should come along. You could use a bath."

"I don't think so!" I cried. I folded my arms and dropped my left hip. "You're the one who was bitchin' about taking a break last night and now you want to blow an hour at the hot springs?"

Rain picked at his nails boredly, "Your point?"

Unbelievable. "That's almost five miles from here" I told him.

He rolled his eyes and dropped his arms by his sides. "That's why I'll be _teleporting_ there." he spoke before leaving me in a watery whirlwind.

Ugh. Why fucking me? Why did I have to get hitched with this ego-tripping, inconsiderate buffoon? Oh well. There's some things I guess I have to put up with. As soon as I get my revenge I'm leaving. This _alliance _has nothing to offer me because there were only two things I wanted; a cure and deus-ex-machina so that I could live with Nightwolf and everything would be rainbows and bloody sunshine. The possibility of that ever happening is probably in the same likelihood of Rain getting his head out of his ass: next to never.

The spoilt prince does have a point, though. A bath would be nice, and those hot springs are to die for. Here in the wastelands of southern Edenia some good things still remain, the hot springs being one of them. It used to be a big attraction, I heard. Along with that sinful Edenian pie.

I marched and jogged and sprinted down to the hot springs and was relieved to find that five miles didn't have as big an impact on my sore body as I thought it would. I looked around and didn't see Rain anywhere in sight so I figured it was okay for me to get in.

There was a convoluted circle of large grey rocks and stones surrounding the few bubbling springs and I removed my shoes and tucked them under one loose boulder. I peeled off my blood-caked shorts next, the ones I'd been using as underwear. Then I slid the cutoff shirt above my head. It was ripped along the bottom but it's still wearable, amazingly. I stood completely naked and shook the leaves and sticks out of my hair. Then tentatively I stuck my foot in the water. Boiling hot.

Just what I need, I thought with a smile.

I eased my whole body into the water and let it adjust to the high temperature. Then, I submerged myself below the surface and came coughing back up. Coughing and laughing. This felt good. Lying on my back I kicked up my legs and rested my elbows on the smooth wet rocks behind me. I was relaxing quickly. I could almost take a nap out here.

I closed my eyes but was ever-alert. I let my mind wander briefly and oh did it go some places. First I started thinking of the jerk Rain, and how I was gonna make him pay for what he did to me. Then I thought of Ermac and how I'm gonna make him pay as well. And Noob; I'll make him pay too, just for the hell of it. I sank lower and smirked a saucy smirk at the evil, gory thoughts. It was fun being bad, plotting against those who've done me wrong. I don't think I would've lasted trying to be a good girl. But for Nightwolf, maybe I would've tried.

For Nightwolf, I would've tried. But now I might not get to see him again. I might not get to hear his sexy laugh, or see his wide, genuine smile, or feel his roaming hands all over my body.

**_Spare us the details, if you would_ **

Shit I almost jumped clean out the water. That damn host! Definitely on my hit list. He ruined the nice calm experience I was having and now I just wanted to get out and get dressed. Who knows what he saw? I thought I had my thoughts locked down but apparently not.

I had to wash my clothes first. I know for a fact that blood comes out easiest with cold water but I'll have to make due. I scrubbed at my shorts and red shirt and then realized something. These are the only things I have to remember Nightwolf by. No wait, I have the necklace, too. I forgot. I never take it off. I looked at it now; just a dark brown cord wrapped around a piece of ivory something with a little bit of blood still on it. It was the blood that drew me to it. It's always the blood.

I finished cleaning my clothes and squeezed the water out of them. I didn't give them time to dry, just pulled them over my wet body and began tugging the moisture from my black hair. It had grown past my shoulders by now. I was about to begin the long trek back to where we spent the night but I caught sight of something glorious.

Rain's pants.

Crumpled and abandoned they were atop the rocks of a nearby hot spring. I still didn't see Rain but those were his pants, no mistake about it. I grinned and ran over to them and scooped them up. I folded them and tucked them under my arm. Then I went over to where my shoes were and slipped my feet in. Ooh the look on his face is gonna be priceless! I cackled like a mad woman and skipped and bounded the whole way back to the main gates.

Once I got there, I pondered what to do. Then it hit me; burn the shit. I walked over to one of the fiery catapults and dropped the black cloth into it. The pants singed and disintegrated with a violent hiss.

Not ten minutes later Rain came teleporting a few feet away from me. He was bare except for a pair of tight linen shorts that he was probably using as underwear. Damn, I wanted to embarrass him by having him go completely naked but I suppose this will do.

He sauntered over to me with the light breeze kicking up the ends of his hair. He had a dangerous look in his eyes.

"Where are they?" he demanded to know.

I gazed up from the catapult and eyed him innocently. "What do you mean?"

"Don't play games with me, where are my breeches?" he snarled.

I shrugged, "What do I look like, the maid? How do you expect me to keep up with _your_ shit?"

Rain scrutinized me carefully but shook his head, "Forget it. Let's just get going." he spat. He began stalking off heatedly and with a private smirk I followed.

* * *

**A/N: That's it for right now, I'll have another chapter out soon! This plot is really gonna pick up so get ready! Don't be shy, leave a review and tell me what you think! Until next time, **

**~DymondGold~ **


	20. Tested

**A/N: Again, the wait was so simply god-awful, sorry about that! Thanks for hanging in here and reading faithfully! There are no warnings...this time. I can't speak for the next chapter, though ;)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own MK or any of its characters/themes/settings; Go thank the Boon-Vogel-Tobias trio.**

* * *

**Chapter Twenty**

* * *

Yeah he complained a lot and had a terrible, stuck-up attitude, but Rain definitely had some redeeming qualities. He was able to influence the weather, to some extent, and that had come in handy while traveling through the desert without any shade whatsoever. He was also able to conjure up a watery bridge that was somehow tread-able so that we could cross over the Sea of Blood. He was a skilled ninja, I'll give him that, but I still don't like or trust him. Something about him rubbed me the wrong way.

We were nearing the headquarters now, only about a few hours away, and I figured now was as good a time as any to try and come up with a plan. I quickened my pace and stepped in front of Rain. He stopped and looked to be deliberating whether to stay immobile or push me out of the way.

"We need to come up with a plan," I told him stiffly.

Rain scoffed, "I have a plan already. Move out of my way,"

I didn't budge. "Would you care to share that plan with your partner?" I asked aggravatedly.

Rain frowned and curled his fists. He was still sore with me about what happened yesterday. He still had to strut about in his underwear, after all. It made me smile every time I looked at him. Next time he'll think twice about messing with me, because next time I won't go so easy on him.

After a moment Rain relaxed his hands and said, "We're going to infiltrate the hideout, you'll slay the emperor, and I'll collect his amulet." he explained simply.

"That's awful vague, don't you think?" I said with my hands on my hips.

He smirked, "Of course it's vague, how else would you understand?" He jeered. He brushed past me confidently, as if he weren't donning short-shorts and nothing else. His ego...it's enormous.

I followed him with my arms above my head. It was hot as Netherealm out here. I don't think he even thought that 'plan' of his through. But that's okay, I'm ditching him after I kill Paste-Face anyway; what happens to him after that is not my problem.

Spikes and stabs radiated through my head but the...thing...in my mind quickly kept Ermac's presence at bay. I didn't have to look over to see that Rain had also flinched in response to the unexpected pain, but unlike me he didn't have a useful little voice in his head to ward off the host. I would smirk or smile, but I was too agitated. This was getting old. I glanced at Rain and he was probably thinking similar thoughts by the look he gave me.

"Let's keep moving," he told me. He obviously was aware that he did not do anything to deserve that last shot of pain. He must have deduced that it was my fault and that was probably the reason why he now wore another of his angry frowns. I chose not to look at him.

But looking out at the scenery only made me dizzy, for the sand was blinding in the high noon sun and it made my eyes hurt. That's why I affixed my aching orbs onto Rains back. I watched the way his muscles rippled and flexed minutely as he sauntered ahead of me. He was glistening with sweat and the tips of his black hair clung to the base of his neck. The underwear he wore, light-colored and fitting like a second skin, did nothing to hide his toned backside. It's a shame for so much handsome potential to be wasted on a dick like Rain.

My throat was burning. I had a headache. To the very bottom of my stomach I was sick. These symptoms must be the result of my not eating anything since I left the village. I don't know how long I can go without food in this mortal state, but I'm gonna push myself to the absolute limit. I gave up a lot on this quest for revenge, so I'm not gonna stop until I see this through.

My treacherous stomach betrayed me with a miserable moan and in front of me Rain was smirking. He didn't say anything but the look he threw my way was enough to let me know the full extent of his contempt.

"Are you alright back there? You look a bit faint," Rain called back to me.

I gritted my teeth against the dull hunger pangs and shot back, "Mind over matter, bitch." _Something you wouldn't know about, _I thought.

Later on Rain stopped. About an hour had passed so the first thing I thought was that we had arrived at Pasty's lair. But upon looking around, all I saw was the same old desert. At least there were bones and skeletons littering the ground, that sure did spice up the otherwise drab scenery.

"Why are you-" I started but Rain clamped his sweaty hand over my mouth. I instinctively bit into it and with a sharp intake of breath he jerked it away.

"You savage!" He hissed indignantly, "I think I hear someone approaching..." he explained while cradling his injured hand.

What a baby; I hadn't even broken the skin! "I don't see anyone," I told him archly. I spit the taste of his flesh out of my mouth.

Offhandedly I remarked, "Maybe being out in the hot sun has made you loopy."

Rain squinted his eyes in the distance and when he saw something, they widened slightly. I tried to look in the same direction but all I could see was sand and sun and three black dots. Those dots were moving towards us.

"What is that?" I asked him. The dots were quickly becoming blobs.

Rain turned frustrated brown eyes on me. "Those are the _emperor's_ guards, they are hired to destroy anybody who comes near the lair." He stated.

"So we're close to the lair?" I assumed. That's pretty efficient of Paste-Face, but no way am I letting some mortal guards do me in. I've come too far.

"Just follow my lead." Rain ordered arrogantly. I smirked and rolled my eyes. Fatigued though I may be, I wouldn't let Rain get all the action.

Soon enough the masked guards were upon us, and they actually took the time to petition us before fighting. There were five of them, and one of them asked us to turn around.

"We wish to speak to the emperor," Rain said. "I am his loyal servant, Rain."

I don't know why the demi-god gave me a dirty look when I couldn't hold in a rather derisive snort; loyal my ass.

The guards seemed to hesitate, but eventually they bought it. Still, though, they wouldn't make way for us.

"We cannot allow you to pass. The emperor is not seeing anyone at the moment" another of the guards chanted mechanically.

_What is he, some kind of bourgeoisie CEO? _This is ridiculous. Apparently Rain can't use his elevated status to get us through so there was only one other option left; well, there were probably two or three but I preferred the most violent one.

I marched right up to the largest of the five guards and poked a finger into the linen cloth at his chest. He gripped his spear tightly.

"Look," I said tersely, "Either get out of our way or get your ass beaten to a bloody pulp. Your pick," I told him while fingering the belt loops on my shorts.

Another of his fellow guards spoke up, "Leave now," he commanded.

Rain and I stood our ground.

"Then you leave us no choice." The other guard said. I grinned and flipped my sai's out of their temporary holsters.

"Follow my lead," Rain again commanded, more sternly this time.

"Fuck you," I spat back. As the guards moved against us as one I rushed towards them. With a heavy sigh Rain did the same.

The guards didn't speak at all as we fought. I had two of them coming after me and that left Rain with the other three. I suppose they don't know who I am. _Well they're fenna' find out,_ I thought with dark satisfaction.

The first guard was the easiest to take down. He was the same height and approximate weight as me and so I had no difficulty knocking his staff away and jamming his gut multiple times with my sai's. He dropped like lead and I stepped back suspiciously.

"That was too easy." I mumbled. I don't remember the guards being this weak. The other one, the bulky one I had challenged earlier, came in his stead.

I had a hard time getting through to him. Every hit I tried to lay on him he parried with his staff. His movements were swift and precise. He didn't get a scratch on me either, though. I wasn't making any progress this way, and if we kept this up, I would soon tire out. I looked over at Rain when I could spare the few seconds. He wasn't having much luck either.

He had his lightening and that could knock one of them off their feet but as it was, there were too many of them coming at him at once; two too many, to be exact. His aim was way off. He also had his water technique but as soon as he struck one of the guards with it, another would recover and take the other's place. He was doing as bad as me. I decided to get his attention.

I slipped from under my captor's legs and made a dash for Rain. Grabbing hold of his tight and torn underwear, I continued sprinting away. It took Rain a few moments of being half-led half-dragged to get the picture and start running along with me. When we had gotten a good distance away from our enemies, I stopped.

"Look," I said baldly, "We've got to do something. We're not losing, but we're not winning, either."

Huffing and mildly out of breath Rain asked, "What do you propose we do?"

I thought about it. We both had our strengths. Rain had his powers and that could only do so much for him with three opponents. And I had my smaller frame and incredible speed working for me, but what good is that when I can't get a hit in? If I could only disable the enemy, I could start to do some damage. I didn't have time to explain anything because the guards were upon us again.

"Just follow _my _lead, kay?" I told the demi-god cheekily. He narrowed his eyes but didn't protest. Then we were back into the fray.

I had a specific purpose in mind when I was fighting this time. I lazily dodged left and right when I knew I could move much faster. I was lulling the guard into a sense of slight complacency so he would be completely caught off kilter when...

"Rain!" I shouted from my position on the ground where the guard had 'knocked me down'.

As if instinctively knowing what to do, Rain summoned a purple-tinted streak of lightening down on the masked man's head. Howling and shuddering and stumbling the guard went, leaving him vulnerable for my next attack. With ease I strode over to the sizzling guard and slid one of my sai's across his throat, nice and cleanly. He was dead before he hit the ground. Rain and I shared a look.

_Why the hell did I not think of this sooner?_

I engaged one of the guards and distracted him thoroughly while Rain dealt with the other two. It didn't surprise me when a jet stream of high-pressured water came shooting into my opponent's back but the poor sap of a victim wasn't ready for it and arched his body away from the pain, dropping his staff in the process. Without hesitation he suffered the same fate as his fallen comrade and with a wet gurgle he, too, hit the ground.

"Behind you!" Rain shouted and was then soundly punched in the face. That's gonna leave a bruise, even if he is the cocky Edenian descendant of the gods.

He had tried to warn me about the sneaky guard who had managed to get behind me while I killed the other one but now it was too late. I didn't have time to run so I reached down and grabbed the staff from the corpse's stiff fingers. The guard had his spear poised for attack and when he brought it down heavily I raised the one in my hands defensively; it snapped in two. The guard was about to bring the sharpened metal down on my head again.

Instantly Rain appeared behind my enemy in a watery whirlwind and conjured a blade so ridiculously sharp it sliced through the guard's head like a knife through hot butter. The appendage slid sloppily off of the guard's shoulders and thunked down onto the sand where it rolled around to my feet. Blood oozed and pooled out of the large body that fell soon after, twitching and spazzing.

Running at full force towards us was the last of the lot. I smirked and took aim. This pitiable fool doesn't stand a chance. With a careful twist of my wrist, I launched one of my sai's directly at him. It sailed through the air and hit its mark beautifully. Lodged to the hilt through the guard's mask was my gleaming weapon, the guard himself frozen in his tracks. For a moment he didn't move, then like all the others, he went careening down. It was over.

I looked at the dead bodies littering the desert and plopped down on my butt. I was seriously beat. Fatigued as I was, I couldn't beat the smile off my face even if I had a ten-inch club. It was that high I always got after a particularly gruesome battle. Then there was the whole unexpectancy of how well Rain and I worked together just now. Even when I served under Kahn I was never placed under a mission with Rain so I could never have known we'd be this compatible. We were able to fight cohesively with little to no verbal cues from each other. I suppose that counts for a 'team-building exercise'.

Noob would be proud.

Ahead of me Rain sauntered over to one of the dead men, the one I'd thrown my sai at, and began to tear the clothes off of him. Carefully, though. There wasn't much blood on it, so I wondered why he was handling them so gingerly. Then the demi-god began to strip himself of the torn and tattered underwear covering his ass. He let the light-colored cloth slide from his fingers onto the pale sand below. I swear If I were drinking something at that moment, it'd be out my mouth or up my nose.

Completely unperturbed the naked prince turned to me and said, "Hurry and disguise yourself. They'll be sending reinforcements after a while."

Oh. Well I suppose that makes sense. Still, has this man no shame? He was standing there completely nude, fiddling with the waistband of the dirty green linen pants as if it were natural. Maybe for him it is. I don't know. He's definitely an odd one.

I shook my head at his brazenness and went over to the very first guard I'd killed. There was a patch of blood in the middle of his linen shirt from where I'd gutted him several times with my sai's. I smirked and began putting on his clothes. Unlike Rain, I didn't get naked before doing so. It was when I was tying the black belt around my waist when Rain decided to come striding up towards me. He handed me the sai that was previously stuck in the guard's mask.

The clothes weren't exactly snug on him considering his lithe build, but on me they were simply laughable. The pants kept slipping down my waist, even with the belt tied tightly. It was obvious I wasn't a true guard. We would be found out in a heartbeat.

"Take it off," Rain sighed. "This isn't gonna work." He began removing clothes as well. He left the pants on, thank goodness, but didn't keep the tunic. I removed the heavy clothing and stood in my own red shorts and cutoff black shirt; well, what was left of them, that is. Rain nodded at my appearance and sighed.

"The only other way for us to get into the lair inconspicuously is for you to enter as my prisoner," Rain claimed.

I cut my eyes, "Right. You expect me to believe that?" I'm sure there are plenty of other ways to get in there.

Rain narrowed his baby brown eyes, "Do you have a better idea?"

"..." I had no answer for him. I hated that.

"Then do as I say," he snapped.

He had tightened the black belt about his waist and it was with that confident swagger of his that he led my by the arm through the maze of bodies lying around in the sand. I hated that he won this argument, but it's okay; there'll be many more to come.

It took us another ten minutes of him glaring and yanking at my arm and me hissing and jerking away from him before we finally reached the lair. It was surprisingly not as ostentatious as I thought it'd be. I suppose Kahn is the only one with such extravagant tastes. Pasty looks like he opted for a more industrious design. It was all wood and metal and was only modest in size. I guess this is just a strategic base or something.

The two guards held their staffs at an 'x' in front of the huge door and Rain scowled.

"Make way. I am among the emperor's esteemed," he commanded authoritatively. They let us pass.

If I didn't know any better and wasn't the stubborn-as-hell person that I generally am, I probably would've done as he said too.

We went from the door down some steps and then left down a long corridor. It was so dark I couldn't see anything. There was no kind of light whatsoever, except for the little bit that was coming from under the door at the end of the hall. With a dramatic flourish Rain approached it and pushed it open. Whatever had been going on in the well-lit room came to a shocked halt.

I got my first good look at Paste-Face in what had been well over a month. He looked like shit. Sticky, white shit.

His eyes were alert and on us like a hawk's. He had lost a little weight and his face was more gaunt than before. He probably had dark shadows under that black makeup around his eyes but I couldn't be sure. He must not have been getting any rest.

He was standing over on a short platform raised a foot off ground level with the rest of the dingy wooden floors. There were two more guards bowing before him and he dismissed them with a flick of his gloved hand.

"Rain." he said, and with that one word he had conveyed his clear desire for a viable explanation.

Rain jerked at my arm again unnecessarily so I jerked back. He grabbed my shoulders and forced me to my knees. "_Just do it!" _he hissed lowly so the emperor couldn't hear.

I gritted my teeth but played along. Another mark on his tab, that's all it is.

"I have captured Mileena, my liege," Rain said, bowing himself.

Pasty came up next to us slowly. His boots enunciated each of his staccato steps dully. He placed a hand on Rain's shoulder and the demi-god rose. I bit my cheek and stayed on my knees with my hands palm-down on the damp wood floor. It was taking all I had not to jump up and tear his fucking throat out. This was the man who single-handedly ruined my life with just one technique.

"Very good, Rain. You have served me well. For this you will be rewarded," Pasty promised, "Where is your partner?" he then asked curiously.

Something was...off...about his tone, though. It was as if he knew something was up. That couldn't be good.

"I don't know where Ermac is," Rain answered, then added, "Wherever he is, he's probably up to no good. He might be trying to-" Abruptly Rain jumped and sucked in a gust of air between his teeth.

Yes, I pinched his ass. It was the only thing I could reach from down here. Well, that and something else I would not be touching if my life depended on it. Rain slowly turned his head to me.

If looks could kill.

"So you don't know where he is?" Paste-Face asked.

He seemed only mildly concerned about Ermac's absence. That's good. The less suspicious he is, the better. Or it could be _bad_ that he isn't worried. It could mean that he already knows something about the alliance or his henchman's infidelity.

"No," Rain answered tightly. His fists were clenched at his sides. I could tell the prince was just itching to hit me.

Pasty folded his arms distractedly murmuring, "I see." He glanced down at me and smirked. "You look as beautiful as your sister; isn't that what you wanted?" he taunted in that deep, solemn voice of his.

I had to suck in my lips and clamp my teeth over them in order not to rise to the bait and retaliate. With words or actions.

He crouched down to my my level and took my chin in between his fingers. He let a vicious gleam slip into his red eyes and I was reminded of another ruby-eyed immortal. For once, I'd much rather the prick rub his thumb over my lips than this pale fucker.

He drew his face to mine and like a mantra I repeated, _don't strike, don't strike, don't strike. _It wasn't time yet. I flinched when Pasty's lips brushed the shell of my ear. Silkily he spoke his dark promise.

"_I've watched you serve Shao Kahn, I know how obedient you can be. Perhaps you might consider aligning yourself under me," _he whispered. "_You have skills that interest me, and I have something that might interest you," _he said in reference to what I knew was a cure. _  
_

I curled my lips in disgust and could be silent no longer. "You have _nothing _that interests me!" I snarled.

Actually, he did have one thing: his ugly fucking head; it would look good on a plate, I think. The thought of it dressed on a platter with tossed garlic and herbs helped calm me down.

Pasty pulled away from me with a displeased frown: was he expecting me to agree with him? He kept his eyes on me but addressed Rain.

"Take her to the holding cells. I will deal with her when I return," he said in a very dissatisfied way. I met his glare with one of my own.

Rain, the poor fool, had to ask, "Where are you going?"

Pasty still didn't tear his eyes away from me. "To deal with a nuisance." He conjured a portal and stepped through it backwards, never moving his gaze from my own.

If he was trying to intimidate me, it wasn't working.

Rain immediately rounded on me and shouted, "What the hell was that for?!"

I assumed he meant the way I pinched him earlier. Rising to my feet my hands flew to my hips, "Give me a damn break, I was doing us both a favor! You can't go selling out Ermac just because you have a vendetta; you could get us all in deep shit!"

Rain scoffed, "I hardly think it would've mattered. The good for nothing son of a bitch deserves it."

"I'm surprised he hasn't forced an aneurysm on you," I huffed. Then I noticed something; I hadn't felt Ermac's looming presence in the back of my mind for a while now. Did that mean the mind link was broken?

Rain's face expressed similar patterns of thinking. "It's worn off, he must've lost connection," Rain stated.

"What?" I frowned.

"The more distance between Ermac and us there is, the less he's able to keep up the connection. It looks like it finally wore off, but I can't be entirely sure. He's a tricky bastard. He could still be listening." Rain sneered.

"I don't think so. I can't feel him anymore," I told him. "Will it come back if we get close to Ermac?"

Rain shook his head, "Ermac has to reactivate it in person."

That's good to know. I won't be letting him get that close to me again. I hated the feeling of having him up in my head. It worried me, too, because I didn't know how much of my thoughts and memories he's seen. He already knows a little about my relationship with Nightwolf, and I don't want him to be able to exploit me with any hidden information.

"Come on, I have to take you to the cells." Rain clipped.

"No you don't!" I protested. "Pasty's gone, he won't know"

Rain eyed me as he would a simpleton, "Don't be so difficult; I'll only have you down there until I can find out where he's headed so we can follow him."

"And how long is that gonna take?" I asked.

Rain shrugged, "Beats the hell out of me."

That's not the answer I wanted to hear but I let him guide me down hallways and stairs nonetheless. When we got to the dank dark empty cells Rain spoke with the masked jailer. He was then handed the keys and led me to the furthest cell from the door, the last one on the right. I shivered.

This cell was dry and considerably less filthy than the rest but it was still a cell. I took a seat on the slab of stone hanging from two chains on the wall and folded my arms.

"You better come back for me," I growled at Rain.

Rain muttered something noncommittally and slid the rusty metal bars shut. "I'll be back," he murmured before locking the door and swaggering right on out of the doors, leaving me alone in the dark.

* * *

It had taken only eighteen hours to work a near miracle. Fresh color and full strength had been returned to the Shaolin warrior, and Liu Kang had none other than Nightwolf to thank. Not only was the monk able to perform at his normal level, the spirituality Nightwolf used to heal him had given Liu an edge that made his movements a little quicker and more precise. The chosen one was back in the game.

Nightwolf, though, was spent.

The shaman had been duly reminded why he didn't use the Regenesis technique very often; It always took a lot out of him. The only other good thing about the ritual was that it could be performed on more than one person simultaneously. Up to eight-to-ten people, just about. The technique had been used a few times before on fallen comrades and twice Nightwolf had revived a full platoon of his men with it, leaving him just as drained as he was now. He, Sonya, Jax, and the cured Liu Kang had opted to stay in a hotel until the shaman was fully recovered.

Nightwolf had a room for himself, as did the others, and it was at no expense to any of them. Apparently when you saved the mortal realm from otherworldly invasion, your name got around and you got certain benefits. Nightwolf was thoroughly surprised the people of New York even knew his name.

He rolled onto his back in the five-star bed and stared at the ceiling idly. He was fatigued, yes, but he was also incredibly restless. He hated that he had to be here, building up a resistance for the coming evil while Mileena was somewhere else, in the company of allegorical vipers. It frustrated him to no end when he thought of how he had just let her walk away with Ermac and Rain. Nightwolf already disliked Rain once he found out how the Edenian had used his youngest soldier against him and Ermac had managed to slither into his mind in the worst kind of way.

_**But I tore him apart, and I'll do even worse if he sets foot in my territory again!** _The beast promised with a snarl. Nightwolf did remember how the entity had made short work of the host's intrusive presence and owed it some amount of gratitude. Wait a minute; since when was his mind the beast's territory?

_**Your mind is where I dwell, thus it is my territory,** _it reasoned. Nightwolf didn't feel like arguing with himself; not tonight.

He raised himself up off of the bed and walked over to the balcony. He slid the glass door open and stepped into the night air. Being in the hotel room was restricting for him, believe it or not. With all its amenities, it didn't compare to being out in the open woods or clear fields.

He leaned back against the black railing and gazed up at the sky. It was starless and moonless and so very dark. He wondered if Mileena was staring up at the same empty sky. Or if she was locked away in a cell. Or dead.

_**Don't you dare!**_The beast berated him. Nightwolf gritted his teeth but could not stop his negative line of thinking. Naturally the most pressing issue came to the forefront of his thoughts: however great his dislike of the host and the demi-god was, it couldn't hold a candle to the raw fury he felt towards his own kinsman. The ones who assaulted Mileena so violently. He wasn't there to see what it was they had done, and he never got the full report from either Tvari or Mileena herself, so his treacherous mind had to fill in the details itself. He knew from experience that what the mind could conjure was often-times worse than what had happened in reality but that didn't take the sting away from what he was seeing in his psyche right now.

For once he could hate. And so much so that he was a little angry with Mileena for slaughtering her attackers. He wanted to be the one to take their life. And it worried him. He was supposed to protect his people, he had promised the spirits of his ancestors that he would do as much. But he could not bring himself to forgive the three _savages _for what they had done.

_**You shouldn't forgive them! Never! If our love hadn't killed them, we could exact our revenge, kinsman or not,** _The beast rumbled. Now that was just irrational. He couldn't think that way about his own people.

_**Fuck your people! They hurt her! **_the beast raved. Nightwolf probably should've been concerned by how much he shared in the creature's sentiments, at least to some extent. Not all of the village had a hand in hurting his love, but the three involved...well they could burn in Hell.

He was in a dangerous mood right then, he felt like killing something, ripping something apart with his bare hands. He was having bloody, murderous thoughts and he didn't do a thing to stop them. He relished in his mood because his other alternative would have him in tears and if he shed even one tear he feared that'd be the end of his control. He didn't want to break down, that would mean he had given up hope. Which he hadn't. He had faith in Mileena, she was a strong little woman. But that didn't mean being separated from her was any less agonizing an experience.

He blamed himself for what happened to her. He should've never left her out of his sight that day. He should've paid more attention to her and kept her by his side instead of leaving her to her own devices every day. Maybe then she wouldn't have been hurt so badly by the people he trusted.

He clutched a fistful of his hair in each hand and slid down the railing of the balcony until he was hunched over on the concrete floor. He felt so useless. If only he could rewind time and do that whole day over. He would never let her go.

_**That is...enough,** _The creature told its master quietly. It would seem the beast didn't like Nightwolf's moping either. The chief had never been so miserable in his life. Nothing else could compare. His heart was aching and so was his throat. He had never stopped thinking of Mileena, not in the two days that had passed with her gone. She was on his mind constantly.

When memories of her sassy, cheeky smile and her bubbling laugh rang through his head he knew the beast was trying to cheer him up, but it only made him feel worse.

"Stop it," Nightwolf said with a shuddering breath so as not to succumb to the heady emotions attacking him. "That's not helping."

There was a knock on the door.

Nightwolf had been expecting it; he could hear the footsteps leading up to the door seconds earlier. He stood and collected himself and pushed everything back to the side of his mind. It was getting harder and harder to do that; Jax and Sonya had yet to see his calm facade break but Nightwolf feared the day was coming.

The person knocked again and called, "Hey Nightwolf, man, you in there?"

Nightwolf twisted the brass knob and pulled open the door. It was Mister Briggs, of course.

The dark-skinned soldier looked Nightwolf up and down briefly and asked, "You alright, man?"

"I'm fine," Nightwolf lied, "Is there something you needed?"

Jax didn't look convinced, "You sure? If you need to talk or something, I mean...I'm here for you man," he said, and he meant it. But Nightwolf really didn't feel like talking.

"I'm fine," Nightwolf repeated.

He didn't remember being so standoffish before but he wanted to be alone. He just didn't feel like being bothered. As chief, he often felt this way when dealing with his people or occasionally, Congress, but he was always able to push his emotions aside and just deal with it. Not this time. He was certain it was because of Mileena.

Jax got the message and let it go, "Alright. Well, Sonya and I were talking, we're thinking about getting a meeting going here between all our allies. Once you rest up and Liu gets back on his feet, we can split up and track them down."

Nightwolf was slowly slipping back into 'chief-mode'. "Who exactly are we looking at?"

"Stryker, for one, since we're already in New York. Maybe Kung Lao, and of course Raiden if can get a hold of him." Jax listed. "Come on, we can talk about this more with Sonya and Liu."

Nightwolf nodded and stepped out into the hall with Jax, closing the door behind him. He had to get out of that room. It was making him depressed. As they walked down the carpeted hall, sirens wailed outside the hotel walls. Sonya opened the door for them, and before he even stepped into the room Nightwolf could see Liu Kang lounging on the giant red and black bed. The monk sat up languidly as soon as the other two entered and rubbed blearily at his eyes.

_He must've been napping,_ Nightwolf thought enviously.

There was a flat-screen t.v. on an elegant black stand across from the bed; some cartoons were mutely playing out on its glossy surface. Nightwolf rose a brow and looked to Sonya and she scoffed.

"Don't look at me, this is all he watches," she said, pointing to Liu Kang.

Because of his newly-healed condition, Sonya frequently checked in with the monk to see if he was doing alright and each time she came in those silly cartoons were on.

Beside the t.v. there was a glass table and two red-cushioned chairs. Adjacent to that was a coffee table littered with small knives and other weapons and behind the coffee table was a black leather couch. Golden chandeliers lit the whole room.

Nightwolf sighed at all the grandiosity and went over to one of the chairs. He was in no mood for the sociability sharing the couch with someone would entail. Jax and Sonya claimed a spot on it soon after he'd sat down anyway. Liu Kang yawned and slid off of the bed. He shuffled over in his black pants and t-shirt and sat at the table with Nightwolf. He made a tent on the glass surface with his elbows and leaned his sleepy head on his folded hands.

"Okay," Sonya began, "The first person we need to recruit would be Kurtis Stryker. Nightwolf, do you think you can talk him into joining us?"

Nightwolf nodded. "I will try my best. Where will I find him?"

"Check his precinct downtown or just ask around," Sonya suggested, "He's gotten pretty famous."

"Jax and I will journey to the Wu Shi Academy and see if we can get Kung Lao on our side as well," Sonya continued.

Unable to speak just yet, Liu Kang raised two fingers of his hand slightly.

Sonya acknowledged him, "What is it, Liu? Do you want to come, too?"

He nodded, then shook his head, mouthing 'alone' a couple of times.

Sonya shrugged. "Are you sure you want to go by yourself? You just got back," she warned.

Liu was stalwart in his decision. He knew that when it came to Kung Lao, he was the best person at getting through to the warrior; they were best friends. He would go and convince him to join their confederation, he was sure of it.

Sonya turned to Nightwolf, "We'll need to get in touch with Raiden, too."

"I'm working on it," he replied. Two failed attempts would not deter the shaman. Raiden had never been this hard to get in touch with, something must be going on.

To Liu Kang Sonya said, "We can get a chopper to take you to the Academy. Just let me know when you're ready to leave, okay?"

Liu nodded and closed his eyes. He might've been meditating on what he would say to Kung Lao or he might've been sleeping. Nobody knew for sure.

"In the meantime, I guess Jax and I could take a trip to OIA and try to rally some support from the government." Sonya said at last. She didn't put much faith in the system when it came to anything Outworld-related, but she would give it a try.

When Liu Kang's soft snores began to resound across the room and Nightwolf's blinks became heavier and shorter apart they knew it was time to call it a night.

"It's late," Sonya said, "Let's all get some sleep and talk about heading out tomorrow."

Nightwolf stood and reached across the table and shook Liu Kang's shoulder. The monk's eyes fluttered open and dazedly he looked around. Poor guy was fully restored but he _had _just come out of a coma, he had to be tired. Nightwolf smiled tightly, politely, and told them all he'd see them in the morning. He walked back down the hall to his own room and slid the key card into the door. He took off his boots but didn't bother climbing under the sheets. He just knelt at the foot of the bed and began to pray. For himself. For the safety of their allies. But mainly for Mileena.

* * *

**A/N: Thanks for reading! If you would, please drop a review and tell me all about what you thought of this particular chapter or the story in general; is it living up to your expectations? If not...oh well. I'm doing my best. I know these last couple of chapters have been slow and angsty but it's sort of necessary for now.**

** And the plot thickens yet again; the immortal paste, er, Quan Chi is stressed out because of a 'nuisance'; hmm, I wonder what or _who _this nuisance could be and will he ever get to it/them? And what about the 'happy couple'? Will they ever be reunited or have they taken two opposing paths? You'll see, just stay tuned! **

**Until next time!**

**~DymondGold~**


	21. Missed

**A/N: Here's the next chapter. No warnings, other than some extra weirdness. Bear with me and my warped sense of characterization please ^_^' Hope you enjoy this latest installment, and there are no warnings in this chapter like I thought there would be.**

**Thanks for adding this story to the community of Readable MK stories, I'm really flattered! It makes writing this even more worthwhile!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own MK or any of its characters/themes/settings/currency. It all belongs to the folks at Netherealm Studios. **

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-One**

* * *

"Here," was all the warning I got before I had a pile of linen thrown in my face, courtesy of that dick Rain. Another mark on his tab, that's all.

I examined the clothes he'd given me and frowned. The pants would fit okay but this shift of a shirt would completely swallow me.

"Doesn't Pasty have any females working for him?" I complained.

Rain stepped inside the dark cell and snorted, "You mean besides his whores?"

"He doesn't have whores; he's asexual, remember?" I smirked. It would make plenty sense if he was.

Rain actually smiled for a brief moment. I noticed somehow with my dimmed eyesight that he was dressed in brown breeches of the same material as my own clothes. I wonder where his armor is. He held both hands behind his back and jangled the rusty black keys between his fingers. He was waiting.

"Uh, could you turn around?" I demanded and twirled my fingers so he'd get the message.

He rolled his eyes but did so. I changed quickly into the pants and poked Rain in the back. He flinched as if I'd stabbed him and I wished he wouldn't be so melodramatic all the time.

"What?" he hissed. He was about to turn around but I only had on the pants and nothing else, so I tried to stop him but turn around fully he did.

I covered my chest but the fact that I was topless didn't seem to faze the prince.

"Would you hurry up?" he griped.

I gave him a miffed stare but shook my head; if he wasn't uncomfortable with my half-nakedness then I wouldn't be either. I didn't bother asking him to turn back around, "Do you have a blade on you?"

"For what?" he asked suspiciously.

I scoffed, "I need to fix this shirt, it's too big,"

"Fix it?" he asked.

"Do you have a knife or not?" I shot back testily.

He wordlessly handed me one from gods know where and I got to work. I had to chop off a few inches from the hem and from there I began raveling at the edges until they were loose. Then I tied little knots up and down the sides to tighten it. The sleeves were long, so I cut them both off and put them to the side; maybe I could fashion a bra out of them. Curiously Rain watched on.

"You didn't think to snag me a bra?"

He narrowed his eyes, "And where would I find one of those lying around?"

"Didn't you say Pasty had whores?" I pointed out.

"Didn't you say he was asexual?" he retorted. Touche.

When I was done with the altered brown linen shirt I tied one end of the cut sleeves to one another and then pulled it up to my chest, securing it with three knots behind my back. It wasn't the best, but it was useful. I then tugged the shirt over my head down to the top of my navel and marveled at my handiwork. I don't know exactly when I got into altering clothes but it was something I did well and somewhat enjoyed.

"Where are we going?" I asked. I had to readjust my sai's because the pants that Rain gave me didn't have belt loops. I ended up having to cut holes on both sides of the waistband so that I could stick them there.

"Earthrealm." Rain answered neutrally. He took his knife back from me but I studied it first. It was a good knife. Had a deep purple ribbon woven into the hilt with designs carved in the side of the blade. I might have to relieve him of it later on.

I reached down and folded Nightwolf's clothes neatly. I couldn't bring myself to just leave them here. While I tucked them under my arm Rain grabbed my other one roughly and teleported us. We ended up on the corner of a bustling street.

I walked about two stumbling steps before I fell to my knees and puked all over the curb.

Nonchalantly Rain muttered, "Forgot you were human."

The hell he did. I didn't believe that was an accident. He must have known that traveling that way was gonna be hard on me. I growled but forced myself to stand on wobbly knees. I crossed my arms until my stomach and head stopped spinning, then glanced around.

"Where the hell are we?" I asked irritably. I was thoroughly pissed with my 'partner' for the day. First he took his precious motherfucking time coming to get me out of that cell, and then he threw those clothes in my face, and now he did..._this _just to spite me, I bet.

"Earthrealm," he answered simply.

I knew he was trying to push my buttons so I wouldn't give him the satisfaction of seeing me explode. But it was hard to restrain myself since I knew he was doing these things on purpose.

I looked away from the infuriating prince and saw that it was getting dark, the sky was a hazy orange color. The air was filthy, and there were so many other mortals around I could barely tell where I was. We were on the sidewalk near some fifty-odd buildings all lined up and down in rows and there were human auto vehicle things blocking one side of the street from the other. A light fixture seemed to be dictating whether they moved or not; as it was, they were barely inching along.

Other than my hair that was greasy and needed to be cut evenly and washed, I looked fine. The clothes were wrinkled but clean, and I didn't have any more crusted up blood on me: at least not in the places that people could see. Rain was clean, as well. I don't know how, but his hair looked groomed and his skin cleaned. He wasn't wearing anything but the pants and barely that; they were hung loosely on his hips in a way that didn't look sloppy so much as...dare I say, sexy? Damn. I'll never tell him that. Once again, it's not right for him to look so good, he's already arrogant enough.

"We need to find lodging for the night," he declared.

I huffed, "That's easier said than done." This was a big-looking city; where were we going to find a place to crash?

It looked like every corner, bench, and bus stop was already occupied and from what I could see, there were other people cooped up under the bridge. We'd have to find an inn or something.

"Follow me," Rain stated. He cut through the crowds confidently and I rolled my eyes and trailed behind him. He came to the end of the sidewalk and began to stride across the street without any regard for the honking cars or blaring horns.

Some of the drivers started insulting _me_, though. I flipped them off and kept on walking. It's not like they were going anywhere anyway. I tried to see where it was Rain was going and shrugged. It was a 'motel', and it looked decent enough. Rain stepped through the door and I was on his heels. A little chime at the top of the entrance went off, alerting the person behind the counter to our presence. It was a young man.

Rain and I went up to the front desk and Rain said, "We require a room,"

The guy looked at us unsurely but then did a double-take when he saw me. Gaping, he ogled me for a few moments. I let him. I knew he couldn't help it, I looked damn good even right now. Rain brought his fist down on the countertop and scared the man.

"A room." he said, irked for some reason. He probably didn't like being ignored.

The guy typed away under the desk. "Single or double bed?"

"Single," Rain answered. To me he explained, "It costs less."

Whatever. It's not like I'll be sleeping with him, anyway. I'll catch the floor if I have to.

The guy typed some more into his device and then handed Rain a slip of paper, "Your receipt, sir"

I folded my arms while Rain read over the paper. He tilted his head and then dug into his pocket. He brought forth a tiny little satchel purse bulging with coins.

_Where did he get that much money from? _I wondered.

"This should cover the bill well enough," Rain claimed. He poured a handful of ruby and gold pieces onto the desk.

The man was dumbfounded. He picked up a coin and inspected it closely. "Um, sir, what are these?"

"Koins," Rain replied easily. "Of the finest lot."

"Is this a joke?" the guy warily asked, looking from Rain to me.

I cut my eyes, "No, it's not a joke." I vouched for Rain.

The man handed us the Koins back and said, "We don't take that kind of...money here"

Rain looked affronted and ready to argue but I just sighed and stomped out the door. My partner came soon after and I wanted to hit him.

"This is all your fault," I told him.

He scowled, "How was I to know Koins were not accepted anymore in this realm?"

I guess I couldn't fault him because I didn't know that either but I was mad and needed somebody to blame. It was only getting later and I was tired and hungry and cold. I rubbed at my arms.

"Come," Rain called, he was already down the sidewalk. I had no choice but to follow him.

* * *

We walked up and down and around the city with no such luck. There were other hotels, but none of them accepted Koins and other than that, we were both flat broke. One of the places threw us out after Rain got belligerent when they told him that because he didn't have shoes or a shirt, they couldn't serve him. It felt like we were just wandering in circles now, as we had been walking aimlessly for the better part of an hour.

"Do you even know where you're going?" I asked him.

Rain didn't answer. He kept on hiking along, and then, in front of a fancy-looking building, he stopped. I plowed right into his back and shoved him.

"What did you stop for?" I griped. I was beyond cranky now. I needed food in me and somewhere to just drop down and go to sleep.

"Let's go in here," he said. He started taking down his hair from the high ponytail it was in. "I have a plan."

Those words coming out of the prince's mouth were anything but reassuring. But what did I really have to lose? Maybe we'd get lucky.

I read the name of the 'five-star' hotel and closed my eyes; we were doomed. Still, I fell into step beside Rain, who was fussing over his hair. He wet his lips and walked over the rich tile through the ornate double-doors past the two guys in uniform.

I shook my hair out self-consciously and licked my lips as well, catching one of the guard's attention. I shot him a flirtatious smile and got a faceful of plexi-glass door. That fucker let the door hit me in the face!

I didn't expect Rain to hold the door open for me, but I wouldn't have pegged him for the type to just let it slam when he knew I was following him. _Another mark on his tab_, I thought darkly.

I shoved the doors back open and rubbed at my nose. It wasn't bleeding, just sore and sensitive. There was a huge lobby filled with other guests and tables and chairs and couches and a little restaurant where people were piling their plates high from tables lined with food.

I spotted Rain making his way towards the front desk. He had on a smooth smirk and I saw where exactly he was going. There was a young red-haired woman with her glittering brown eyes on the approaching prince. I suddenly knew what it was Rain had planned.

He swaggered up to the glossy front desk and leaned his elbow on it while sporting a half-grin.

I made a face and sidled up to one of the couches. Rain was playing a game I only knew too well. I was good at manipulating people that way, but I wasn't in the mood to do any seduction tonight. Or ever again, really. Disinterestedly I watched Rain talk to the girl. I couldn't hear a thing they were saying

Flustered and stuttering she was, that much I could see from her pink cheeks and rapidly moving mouth. Her mouth went slack, however, when Rain grasped her chin and tilted his head forward. For several seconds he stayed in that position. I knew he wasn't kissing her, he wasn't close enough, so he had to be whispering something to her. He pulled back and my eyes widened upon seeing the woman's beet-red face and hazy eyes. She looked...like she was under some kind of spell, but that couldn't be right. Rain isn't a hypnotist or telepath like Ermac, and he certainly wasn't a sorcerer so what did he do? What did he say to make her discreetly slide him a shiny white card and a piece of paper?

With a gloating and superior smirk Rain glanced back at me. He turned back around and pocketed the items, then took the girl's hand and kissed it. I hurried over to him, because I really couldn't believe it.

When she saw me, the woman started and looked to Rain with uncertain doe eyes.

"My sister," he explained, and stroked the woman's cheek. She smiled sheepishly, girlishly, and never let her eyes stray from the royal.

Rain gave her a wink and walked to the elevator. The doors closed on the two of us and I eyed him up.

"What did you do?" I asked suspiciously.

He gave me another cocky smirk and said, "Don't worry about it. Just know that we'll have adequate lodging for the remainder of the week."

My interest was piqued but I pretended not to care. My stomach lurched again but this time it was because the elevator was headed all the way up to one of the higher floors.

What the hell did he say to that girl?

* * *

Oh, to find a cop: It wasn't as easy as Miss Blade had made it out to be, Nightwolf was sorely realizing. True, this particular one was well-known around the force and community alike, but getting in touch with him was a whole other matter. The chief of police had informed the shaman of where Kurtis Stryker may be, but he couldn't give Nightwolf a definite answer, what with all the havoc that was being wreaked on the infamous city. Nightwolf had no doubt that Quan Chi was to blame for the otherworldly attacks.

Nightwolf had to stifle another yawn. Worrying about Mileena had kept him from getting a peaceful night's rest even in one of the ritziest hotels this state had to offer. He couldn't stop thinking about her. He could only continue to pray that Ermac or Rain weren't hurting her.

**She is strong, have faith in our woman,** the beast encouraged. Nightwolf nodded and got back to the task at hand.

He had arrived at the subway where Stryker was seen not to long ago. _Hopefully he's still here, _Nightwolf thought wearily. He was of running up and down the city trying to track this man down. A flight of stairs Nightwolf descended and blinked in the dim, bleary light. This place was a train wreck. Light fixtures were busted and swinging by their wires and the posters on the walls were torn or ripped. There was trash and broken glass littering the concrete ground and the cement was heavily cracked in some places. When the shaman heard the tell-tale crackle of a two-way radio he knew the officer couldn't be too far off.

"Yeah, I lost him. I'm heading back in now." Came a disappointed male voice. Then its owner stepped out of the shadows of the empty dark tunnel. Surprise and wariness shown on Stryker's face when he caught sight of the chief.

"I have been searching for you, Kurtis Stryker," Nightwolf stated.

Stryker silenced his buzzing radio and said, "I've got a feeling this has to do with the attacks."

"Indeed." Nightwolf replied, "I must ask that you join my comrades and me in defeating this latest threat against our realm."

Stryker groaned and ran his palm over his face, "I was afraid you'd ask me that." he admitted. "I haven't been able to catch a break from work as it is."

"Wouldn't you like to put an end to all this?" Nightwolf asked.

Tilting his head Stryker replied, "How? Nobody evens knows where these attacks are even coming from. How can we do anything but hold them off?"

Nightwolf answered, "We must confront the source of the trouble."

"And I'm guessing you know where that is?" Stryker said ruefully.

"Indeed," Nightwolf nodded.

Stryker needed no further persuasion. "Well I'm in." he remarked.

"Good. Let us return to the hotel. There we will await the return of our other allies." Nightwolf suggested. He thought to himself that he should try and contact a certain thunder god again; hopefully the elder isn't in any trouble.

* * *

"We are in grave danger," Raiden said in a justly somber tone. "Quan Chi is trying to destroy the Academy."

Dodging a deadly swipe from an undead soldier Liu Kang said wryly, "That much I can tell, Raiden."

"Just show me where Kung Lao is," the monk asked again.

Raiden destroyed a slew of glowing skeletons and turned to the young dragon host. "Kung Lao should be near the courtyard. But like I said before, you'll be hard-pressed to get him to go with you. I, however, will come and offer assistance where I can," he promised.

Liu Kang nodded. He ducked and darted out of the way of blades and fists. He found his friend just where Raiden said he'd be. The Shaolin monk was facing off against the sorcerer and self-proclaimed emperor, Quan Chi. And he wasn't winning.

_It looks like he's gotten stronger since I last saw him_, Liu Kang noted sourly. The sorcerer was defeating Kung Lao without even breaking a sweat. More punches and hits were inflicted on the hat-clad warrior by his own hand rather than the emperor's due to Quan Chi's mind control. It didn't look too good for Kung Lao. But then the emperor went flying backwards with a fiery foot in his chest.

That attack caught him off guard, mainly because he thought he'd surely seen the last of it when he struck the long-haired monk with his technique last month. Quan Chi's expression told Liu Kang just how shocked the sorcerer was to see him alive again.

Quan Chi picked himself up off the ground and dusted his shoulders off with a nasty grimace. This certainly changed things for him. He had planned on dealing with Kung Lao and this Wu Shi Academy once and for all, but seeing Liu Kang resurrected had changed things. Now he had to go back to his lair and regroup. Oh, and he had to figure out what to do with Mileena. He thought of using her as a pawn but it would take nothing short of coercive mind control to get her to obey him.

He turned and waved his arms in tight motions, calling off the undead army. He'd come back and raze this place later. Right now, he had to reorder his plans and factor Liu Kang into the equation. Through a lime green portal Quan Chi regally left.

Liu Kang stood at the ready in a defensive stance when the emperor left. He exchanged a puzzled look with Kung Lao, then they both turned to assess the Academy. Several students and mentors were filing out of every exit, looking beaten up but fairly fine.

"There were no casualties. This time." Kung Lao observed. He and Liu Kang faced each other in the courtyard. "I heard what happened to you. Did the shaman really bring you back to life?"

Liu Kang frowned, "I was never dead, just in a coma. But yes, he revived and restored me."

"Why have you come here?" Kung asked.

"Sonya, Jax, Nightwolf and I are recruiting allies. We need to defeat Quan Chi before something like this happens again." Liu explained.

Kung Lao was already shaking his head, "I'm sorry, Liu, but I'm not leaving Wu Shi unprotected."

"It's not unprotected, there are plenty of masters available to defend it as they have been doing for centuries before," Liu pointed out.

Kung Lao folded his arms, "That may be true, but they need me here. I'm not leaving. I'm sorry, but my decision is final."

Liu Kang couldn't believe his best friend was denying him, "You would stand by the Academy while the rest of the realm perishes? Kung Lao, see reason! You must join us!"

"Liu, I can't just leave the Shaolin here to die when Quan Chi returns. I won't. " He stated strongly.

"Have faith in the Shaolin, Kung Lao, and join us." Liu Kang entreated.

Kung Lao looked back at the intact building with its stone statues untouched and felt his resolve weaken. He would bear the guilt should anything happen in his absence, but there was no way he could let his friend take on the emperor alone. He closed his eyes and said a prayer for his Shaolin brothers and then gazed at Liu with despondent determination.

They nodded in unison and in a flash Raiden was beside them. The god could sense that the two monks were in agreement and addressed Liu Kang.

"Where can we convene with Nightwolf?" he asked.

Liu Kang pointed to the chopper that had been destroyed and replied, "He's at a hotel in New York. If all has gone well, Kurtis Stryker should be with him. Would you take us there now?"

Raiden knew that Nightwolf had been trying to contact him. It would seem the shaman is building a reckonable force to combat the sorcerer. Urgently, he obliged and transported himself and the two monks to the chaotic, hectic city.

* * *

"They won't help us." Sonya muttered. "Why am I not surprised?"

Jax shrugged and shifted in the passenger's seat of the state vehicle, "They loaned us a car." he pointed out.

"And money, too," Sonya frowned, "but how is that gonna' help us take down Quan Chi?"

Jax nodded and glanced back at the many briefcases filled with cash. They wouldn't do any good against the emperor, no doubt.

"How are we supposed to beat this guy?" Jax murmured.

Sonya shrugged and took a sharp right to avoid that impenetrable evening traffic. She didn't know the consequences of her actions would result in a near-accident. She slammed on the breaks and barely missed hitting two robed figures. The two people froze like deer and Sonya killed the engine. Both she and Jax hurried out of the car over to the two victims.

"Hey, are you alright?" Sonya asked, beginning to approach one of them. They faced each other in their hoods and started to bolt.

"Well that wasn't suspicious at all." Sonya drawled to her partner after a pause. They hesitantly began to take chase.

"Those robes looked like black silk." Jax observed in a huff, "I know they gotta' be sweating."

"And rich," Sonya added astutely. "This might be New York but a yard of true silk is ridiculous, especially with this economy."

Jax and Sonya followed the two running figures all the way to an alley. Finally with nowhere to go, they all stopped.

Sonya caught her breath and asked, "Who are you? And why were you running?"

The two strangers glanced at one another again lowered their hoods together. Two beautiful women stood apprehensively before the militant duo.

Jax cleared his throat; this was certainly a surprise. "You ain't in any trouble, are you?" he asked gently. The city was rough on everybody, especially women and foreigners. And these women looked to be both.

Sonya nudged her partner and said, "I know them. You're the princess and you're her bodyguard from Outworld, am I right?"

The princess let her hood drop and nodded. "You are correct, both of you. We have fled Outworld and were seeking refuge here, but it looks like Earthrealm is no safer than any other world." she sighed.

Sonya shot up a brow, "No kidding. Quan Chi is really causing trouble all over the place."

"You have no idea." Jade said solemnly. "He had a bounty on both our heads, and if we were able, we would've stayed and confronted him ourselves but as it is, he's gotten much stronger."

"I wonder how that can be," Jax mused. He didn't know much about the sorcerer but the way he was accruing so much power so fast was unfathomable.

"You don't have to face him alone. Jax and I were working with Nightwolf and Liu Kang to try and defeat him. You should definitely join us," she offered.

Kitana's eyes lit up at the name of her admirer. She had heard rumors that the fearsome Chinese warrior had been slain by Quan Chi. But if what the woman in front of her had said was true...

"Liu Kang lives?" Jade asked incredulously.

Sonya nodded, but didn't go into detail just yet. She looked to her partner and then up at the sky and finally back at the two women.

"It's getting late. If you want, you could come back to the hotel with us and decide if you want to help us or not." Sonya suggested. Though she was desperately hoping they would agree. This budding confederation needed all the allies it could get.

Kitana murmured a few words with Jade and they both nodded. It seemed that they were of like mind.

"We will accompany you." Jade stated, "It would be in all our best interests if we joined forces in this war."

* * *

The huge bed decked out in sheets and blankets of all kinds of textures and silky softness. The carpet that just melted under my bare feet in the best kind of ways. The steaming walk-in shower that never seemed to run cold. Exquisite as these things were, they couldn't possibly compensate for my having to put up with the drag that is Rain for the last few days.

They almost made up for it, though. Almost.

It felt like something was missing, though. I sat on the huge golden and red bed and pondered this. Maybe if I were sitting here in the middle of the most comfortable bed in all the realms, wearing a sinful red silk robe and chewing on some mortal sweet-thing with someone _other_ than Rain it would feel a bit better.

A certain someone popped into my head and I cursed. Of course that was the problem. I was missing him. Oh, well. I suppose that's gonna go on for a while. When I was alone in that cell, I was missing him as well. It made me feel kind of hollow inside when I thought of how I couldn't, and maybe wouldn't, see him for a very long time. Emptily I chewed on the sticky brown sweet candy that the hotel left behind in a basket, along with some rose petals and sleek paper cards with fancy script written all over it.

Rain emerged from the shower and a cloud of steam came pouring out behind him. He flipped his wrists and all the water that clung to his skin and hair lost its grip and went splattering to the tiled bathroom floor. Completely dry, he sauntered over to the bed and let the towel fall. I didn't even flinch. I don't know what it is with Rain and nakedness, but I've gotten used to it by now. He began rummaging around the room looking for what I guess was his clothes.

I hid them.

I was bored. And he was taking a very long time in the bathroom. So I folded them up real small and tossed them under the bed. He'll find them eventually. And if he doesn't, well I'd like to see him walk out of this hotel with nothing on. Knowing him, though, he'd probably parade around naked without a chip on his shoulder.

"Did you see my garments?" Rain asked.

I dared to glance over at him and saw that he was slipping into the pants that I had on earlier. I washed them in the tub, and hung them in the bathroom to dry. Now Rain had removed all the water and was sliding into them easily; he and I could fit the same pants? I knew his hips were narrow but damn.

He looked down at me and I shook my head, "Uh-uhn. Haven't seen 'em." I lied.

Rain eyed me dubiously but took a seat on one of the, yes _one _of the plush burgundy mini-couches. He picked up the rectangular device and switched on the flatscreen television. He flipped through the channels and stopped at an animated one. It was a cartoon, and an extremely violent one at that. He put down the rectangular device and looked over at the basket in my lap. He reached for one of the sweet brown candies wrapped in gold foil but I held the basket out of his reach. He narrowed his eyes but gave up and walked over to the nightstand.

On top of it was a telephone, a lamp, and a small stack of papers. One of them he held in his hand and with his free one he lifted the telephone off of its cradle. He dialed a few digits and leaned his head into the receiver.

He told the person on the other end our room number and that he wanted some kind of dessert, and then he went into details of just what kind of dessert it was. I tuned him out and stared at the t.v. screen, not really watching, just staring. When Rain slammed down the receiver I jumped and looked back at him.

"What was that for?" I asked disinterestedly.

Rain jumped into the bed and sprawled out on his back. Even with him spread out like that, we still weren't even close to touching. This bed was huge.

"You'll see," Rain answered with a satisfied smirk and eyes closed blissfully. He may have been at home here, but I just didn't feel right. I was missing Nightwolf now more than ever.

I curled up on my side and threw the bottom half of the thick comforter over me. By now there was an unspoken truce between Rain and I that didn't allow for either of us to be killed by the other, at least not until this ordeal with Pasty was over, so a thin amount of trust existed among us. I was drifting off to sleep when there was a timid knock on the door. Rubbing my eyes in the dimmed lights I sat up and let the cover fall off of me. My jaw dropped when I saw not only the same young woman from the front desk but what she was pulling behind her had my mouth watering.

She pulled the cart loaded with four silver trays into the room and smiled shyly at me. "Where do you want these?"

"Those are mine," Rain called, "And you may lay them on the bed." he told her.

Obediently the redhead began unloading the cart onto the bed.

Rain swung his legs over the edge of the bed and brought the one of the silver trays into his lap. He lifted the lid off and revealed a whole entire sweet potato pie with a dollop of white cream on top. I only remember the dish because it was served at the festival that day and Elan offered me some.

Elan. Was he okay? I swear if anything's happened to him I'll...wait a minute. The kid is not my responsibility; why do I care if he's alright or not? _Because he's my little friend, _I thought sadly. It was depressing how attached to that boy I'd gotten. Depressing, because if something _had_ happened to him and he was dead, there wasn't a damn thing I could do to get him back. I could avenge him, but it wouldn't be enough.

"Is that all you needed?" the girl asked hopefully. Rain did not disappoint; he motioned the girl over and stroked her cheek. He reached into the basket in my lap and grabbed a handful of rose petals, blew on them, and placed them in the young woman's palm. He closed her fist and placed a kiss on her knuckles.

"That is all I require; you have served me well." he said in a sultry voice. Blushing like mad, the girl held her fisted hand to her heart and nodded, hurrying out the door. I couldn't roll my eyes hard enough.

"Is any of that for me?" I asked, but I didn't expect him to share.

Rain surprised me by pushing the cart in my direction. "You may have some of the rest, but _this_ is mine," the Edenian told me around a mouthful of sweet potato. I seriously believe Rain plans on eating that entire pie.

I rooted through the the trays and was expecting meat of some sort but came up with negative results. I sighed and closed the lid on the last dish.

"All you ordered was sweets?" I asked tiredly.

Rain swallowed his pie and eyed me as if to say, _P__roblem? _

I pushed the cart back down to him and buried myself in the covers again. I could've fallen asleep had it not been for Rain's eating noises and the loud television and the aching and rumbling of my own stomach. Finally I huffed and climbed out of the bed. Rain was on his second tray by now. He didn't ask me where I was going and I didn't say.

I wanted food, and since I was too proud to ask Rain how he ordered it over the phone, I'd just have to go find some myself. I ran my fingers through my clean but damp hair that smelled of soap and shampoo and tightened the buttery smooth red robe around me. I wasn't wearing anything underneath, after all, so I had to make sure I was covered.

I padded down the hall and rubbed at my arms and halted when I heard the familiar 'ding' of the elevator behind me. Just out of pure curiosity I turned to see who had been coming up here. Apparently they were rich to have afforded a room on this floor; either that or they mooched like Rain and I. Maybe they could point me in the direction of some prime ribs.

I crossed my arms and waited for the shaft doors to open, and when they did I froze. Barking out a short laugh at the irony of the situation I stared at the person who seemed just as shocked to see me as I was to see them.

"Mileena?" they asked.

I let my arms down and slowly walked over to them. "In the flesh."

* * *

**A/N: That concludes this chapter. Before you throw tomatoes, I'm just gonna say that what I did with Rain was most likely totally out of character so sorry about that! However, it worked for me, so I went with it. Leave a review if you see any flaws or if you have something else to say about this latest chapter! I anticipate your feedback! Until next time,**

**~DymondGold~**


	22. Ditched

**A/N: Enjoy this next chapter! Slight warning, but nothing major. Thanks for bearing with me and this story as it crawls along! **

**Disclaimer: I don't own MK or any of its characters/themes/settings; Go thank Ed Boon and his friends at Netherealm Studios.**

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Two**

* * *

She looked almost the same. Still so beautiful. Her eyes were wide and her lips parted from surprise. She had her long black hair in a high ponytail with two long bangs on either side of her pretty face. A black cloak that probably came from the palace was what she donned. As she began walking over to me cautiously, fearing an attack most likely, I pondered this uncanny coincidence.

I don't know how I feel about the princess. I used to loathe this woman and constantly obsess over her. I wanted to be her. I wanted to kill her. I hated her. I adored her. I was so mixed up inside before, and now I don't know what to think of her. She may be my twin, but I'm my own person now. I'm not just an experiment, or a pawn, or some kind of weapon or tool.

"Long time no see Kitty Kat," I greeted cheekily. Whatever irrational, jealous complex I used to have against her before had died a long time ago.

Kitana had to flinch when she heard my nickname for her. She gazed strangely at me and asked softly, "Mileena, what _happened_ to you?"

I bristled. What the hell was she trying to say? Oh, right. I'm certainly not looking my usual self right now. Of course she'd be confused.

Kitana decided to keep her distance. "You look so different," she amended.

I shrugged and told her, "That's 'cause I'm stuck in this shitty human body now."

She inhaled through her nose and raised both brows in understanding. "Did Quan Chi do this to you?"

"Yeah," I answered slowly, "How did you know that?"

Kitana glowered past me and said, "He's been bragging to me about those that he has destroyed. Yet you and Liu Kang both live." she murmured. "I wonder who else is alive."

I rolled my eyes. "Maybe Pasty _thought_ he could destroy me, but I'm made to last, bitch," I growled out loud.

This did nothing for my poor sister's nerves. It seemed like her fight or flight instincts were beginning to kick in. I didn't know what to do to disarm her.

"I didn't mean that _you_ were a bitch." I tried. "I don't hate you anymore. At least, I don't think I do."

She made a face but forced a polite smile to her lips, "Oh. Okay."

I looked up and down the empty hall and sighed. That didn't come out like it should have, but it got the job done. Kitana wasn't exactly ready to whip out her fans or bolt, so that was good.

She released a sigh and smiled tightly. "So I take it you're not on the same side as us?"

"I'm not on anyone's side," I said quickly, then added "Who is us?"

She frowned, "You must know that there is an alliance being formed to combat the emperor's invasion of the realms."

I clearly did not. But of course there would be one. Nobody could do what Pasty's doing and get away with it. I assume Raiden is probably behind this.

"Who's all in this alliance?" I asked her.

She began to fidget with her fingers under the sleeves of the embroidered robe and that was answer enough.

"You don't have to tell me." I told her. "I know you don't trust me."

She didn't look as relieved as I thought she would, only more apprehensive. "Mileena, you've changed."

"That I have," I didn't deny. But what does that have to do with anything? Oh right, the old me would have done nothing short of gutted her for the information I desired. Such a charmer, I was.

"Just tell me this," I entreated, "Have you seen Nightwolf?"

She paused, and on bated breath I waited for her answer. "I haven't."

Shit. Well I'm the fool for getting my hopes up, I guess. "Alright. Well I suppose there's nothing more I have to say to you." I muttered.

I had gotten close to the room Rain and I shared when she called out to me. "Wait!"

I did.

"Perhaps," she started, "You said that you weren't on anyone's side. You could ally yourself with us."

I scoffed. "I don't think so."

I know from experience that Kitana probably hasn't even consulted with the rest of her little group before offering me a spot and I didn't have time to be dealing with anybody else's hostility; maybe Kitana could put aside her differences and accept me, but that certainly didn't mean the others around her would.

Kitana looked sorely disappointed, "I wish you would reconsider."

"And I wish I had some damn underwear, but we can't _all_ get what we want, Kitty Kat" I said with a sugary fake smile.

She looked disgusted but it was the truth, and that kind of stuff tended to slip out sometimes, especially now since I'm really aggravated. I thought that Nightwolf was here with her, joining this alliance, but I was wrong and it irked me. I was missing him bad.

Kitana started walking down the gold-carpeted hall in the opposite direction, slowly though, with frequent glances back in my direction. Meanwhile I was knocking on the door trying to get in, since I didn't have a key to the room. I wasn't getting an answer, so I knocked harder. Still no answer.

_What the hell was he doing in there? Probably still stuffing his face. _

I banged on the door with my fist but he didn't open up.

_What a useless fucking tool. I could be out here dying and he'll not care so long as he has his precious pie. _

With my feet I kicked at the door and was flabbergasted when he **still** didn't let me in.

"You don't have a key?" Kitana called from down the hall.

"If I had a key I wouldn't be out here trying to break the damn door down, now would I?" I shot back at her.

She began walking towards me. It didn't seem to bother her, my harsh tone. Good, 'cause I wasn't about to apologize for it.

She approached the door and turned to me, "Who's in there?"

"Rain, the demi-god." I answered curtly. It didn't matter to me if I was in some way selling my 'partner' out. He had pissed me off for the last time.

A slim frown and narrowed eyes was her brief reaction to hearing her former countryman's name. She schooled her features and blinked the hostile expression away. She rolled her shoulders and smirked.

Knocking much more softly than I would have, she sweetly called out, "Room service."

No sooner had the two words left her lips did the abused wooden door swing open, revealing the bastard prince with a cookie in his mouth.

At least he wasn't naked.

He looked at me first, then at Kitana. "Can I help you?" he asked boredly.

"Why didn't you open the door? Didn't you hear me knocking? I thought you had enhanced hearing or some shit like that," I complained.

He didn't have time to respond because Kitana began to lay into him.

"You!" she hissed. "You should be ashamed of yourself!" she admonished.

He raised a dark brow, "Ashamed? What is it you speak of?"

_Shame? Rain? Those two words don't even go together,_ I thought.

Kitana held herself a little higher, "I speak of your betrayal to our home and your Edenian brothers!"

From her tone, I'd say Kitana has been holding in this rage for a while, saving up all her anger for the moment she could confront the Edenian.

I ducked under Rain's arm and walked into the room, then began to get dressed. The shirt that I had hung to dry in the bathroom was still damp, so I reached under the bed and pulled out the clothes of Rain's that I hid earlier. After I tugged them on, I folded the robe up neatly and tucked it under my arm. I grabbed my sai's from on top of the bed and placed them in the pockets of Rain's pants. In one pocket was the bag of Koins, and in the other was his purple-hilted dagger: I smirked; He won't be seeing _that _again, I can promise him.

I shook my hair out and licked my lips. Damn I was hungry. I glanced over to the trays and frowned. Stacking all four of them in my arms, I went to the balcony and dumped the sweet contents of the remaining desserts out onto the street below. I walked back over to the foot of the bed and slipped my feet into my black moccasins. Rain and Kitana were still arguing. I took a seat on the bed and listened.

Rain had his arms behind his head and Kitana was fuming.

"Our ancestors in the Resistance spared you during the raids and this is how you repay them? By sullying their efforts and allying yourself with the enemy?" she cried.

Rain frowned, "My allegiance lies within. I am loyal to no one. I do whatever it takes to survive."

"Even if it means turning your back on those who took you in as a child and had mercy on you?" Kitana sneered.

Rain smirked, "Mercy? Do not speak of mercy, Princess. You served your time under the emperor's regime as well as I did. And as for the Resistance...they were holding me back from fulfilling my goal." he said blithely.

She scoffed, "And what goal would that be?"

Rain shrugged, "To attain true power in its rawest and most ultimate form."

"Power? That is why you have _slaughtered_ our people?" Kitana asked angrily.

When Rain didn't answer she ground out, "You. Sicken. Me."

"If you're only here to chasten me," Rain said flippantly, "then begone."

He started to close the door in her face but she held it open with a strength I didn't really knew she possessed. She pushed it so hard Rain had to jump back to keep from getting hit as it banged against the wall and nearly came off its hinges.

"How DARE you shut the door in my face?" Kitana shrieked.

_That was a pretty bold thing to do, _I thought.

Off went her cloak and underneath it she was dressed as a man. Dark black breeches and a worn tunic was her unconventional attire. She must've been disguising herself or something to have been dressed like that. While the heavy silk cloak fell to the hallway floor, she flipped open her deadly fan blades and lifted her chin.

"Prince or not, you will learn _respect_!" she shouted.

Rain appraised her and sniffed. "And who will teach me? Certainly not _you_."

_Damn, Rain, when you dig yourself into a hole you sure know how to dig deep, _I thought wryly to myself. Kitana may look like just a pretty face, but she's one of the fiercest foes I've ever fought. I had no doubt she could fuck his ass up.

Rain tried to punch her square in the face but she caught his fist and was about to bring one of her blades down on it and sever the hand but Rain hurriedly jerked his appendage back before this could happen. They both were in the hall, circling each other and trying to put some distance in between themselves.

With a windmill-like motion Kitana sliced through the air with both of her fans unfolded and Rain managed to jump back, but not without getting nicked in the junction of his shoulder and neck. He summoned a little lightening that had all the electricity in the building stuttering and Kitana flew through the air with her leg extended. Instead of being struck, she landed a crucial blow to Rain's abdomen.

He groaned and doubled over, but when Kitana got close he upper-cutted and roundhouse-kicked her so hard she went sailing through the air. She hit the opposite wall hard, and slid down it with blood coming out of her mouth through her clenched teeth.

There was a stampede of footsteps coming from down the hall, and I instinctively knew this would not bode well at all for me. A police officer, the monk Liu Kang, his friend with the hat, the thunder god Raiden, the princess' bodyguard, and the militant duo known as Sonya and Jax came bounding around the corner at top speed.

That was definitely my cue to leave.

If only Rain hadn't beat me to it.

Faster than I could blink Rain had twirled away into thin air, leaving only a puddle of water behind in his wake. That son a bitch just bailed on me!

The princess' bodyguard, a dark-skinned ponytail-wearing woman, saw that her friend was hurt and since Rain, the culprit, was nowhere to be found, she rounded on _me_.

"What did you do to her?" She asked me. Kitana must have hit her head too hard, she was out cold.

I shrugged and backed up into the room Rain and I previously shared. "I didn't do anything!" I cried defensively.

The monk Liu Kang knelt by the fallen princess, "What's going on?" he asked angrily.

Everyone was looking around at the crumbled ceiling and the dent in the wall from where Kitana hit it and the lights that had broken or shattered during Rain's impromptu lightening attack. This probably looked so wrong; they most likely think it was me who hurt Kitana, and since Kitty Kat is knocked out right now, she can't vouch for me. Damn that stupid selfish bastard Rain! When I see him I'll kill him! This is the last fucking strike for him.

The thunder god saw me and asked, "Mileena, what have you done?"

"Nothing!" I growled out frustratedly.

"There's no one else here but you; who else could have done this to Kitana?" Liu Kang asked sharply.

Acerbically I answered, "It wasn't me! It was Rain."

"Rain?" the bodyguard scoffed, "Where is he then?"

"Gone gods know where," I muttered. "If you were paying attention, you'd have seen him scamper his ass out of here a few moments ago."

"So he's gone?" Liu Kang asked dubiously.

"How convenient." the bodyguard sneered.

"Bitch..." I trailed with my lips set in a scowl. I'm seriously not in the mood to be dealing with this shit. I just want to find that demi-god and do inhumane things to him. I stalked fully back into the room and was about to take my chances jumping down the balcony since the elevators were too slow. But that cloaked woman started calling out to me.

"Come back here!" she said, and I ignored her. Her voice was firm as she commanded, "Apprehend her!"

Unfortunately, those two monks were all too willing to oblige. One of them grabbed me from behind and I darted out of his grasp. They both grabbed one of my arms each and I fought to get free. I brought one of my legs up incredibly high and the flat top of my foot connected with the hat-clad monk's face. He let me go and nursed his busted lip. I seized the moment and dove over the bed but Liu Kang caught up with me and grabbed me by my waist. He had me in an iron-clad embrace with my feet about a foot off the ground due to his being taller than me. He proceeded to carry me out of the room. I kicked and wriggled but it wasn't working.

"Let me go!" I screamed, "Put me down!"

The officer was carrying Kitana in a much more gentle fashion and the rest of the posse was following him down the hall. Including the two monks. I don't know where they're going, but I had to get free. I have to go find Rain!

I tried butting my head backwards against Liu Kang's but he kept walking, even with his nose dripping blood down the back of my neck. He tucked his head against my shoulder so that I couldn't do that again. His arms were wrapped around me with my own ones caught underneath his. All I could do was kick and squirm and scream and gnash my teeth. I couldn't even reach my sai's that were at my waist. Pure frustration burned behind my eyes in the form of hot, angry, unshed tears and my shrieks were threatening to devolve into choking broken sobs. I hated feeling so weak and powerless. Just _wait _until I get my body back, I'll make every last one of these fuckers pay for treating me this way. With that thought I tightened my frown and stopped fighting. I glowered straight ahead of me and just waited for them to put me down.

Everyone suddenly stopped suddenly and Liu Kang started backing up. Someone was being given a wide berth and it wasn't until I heard that tell-tale deep, rumbling voice that I realized who it was. He passed the two split rows of people and came to where Liu Kang, the hat-wearing monk, and I were. He didn't look me in the eye. He seemed to be restraining himself when he spoke to Liu Kang.

"_Give her to me._" came his frosty order. Liu Kang obliged; he would be a fool to deny this man when he had that murderous intent in his eyes.

His strong arms cradled me the same way they used to, and without thinking I wrapped my arms around his neck. This is what I wanted, what I've been missing. While the others continued walking he fell behind the rest of them and rubbed my back soothingly. He kissed the top of my head and I laid it against his broad chest. I looked up at him and saw how hard his jaw was set and how fierce his eyes shone straight ahead of him. He was _so_ very mad.

"Nightwolf," I whispered, but my voice didn't come out as steady as I would've liked.

"Hush," he told me. "I have you now." he murmured.

He hoisted me higher and I buried my face into the crook of his neck. I wasn't afraid to close my eyes, not while I was in his arms. I started to calm down while concentrating on his thudding footsteps and his constant pulse. I only let my lashes flutter back upward when he stopped walking. He was digging into his pocket, and he pulled out a key card and slid it into the slot. Using his booted foot he pushed the door open and stepped inside. He crossed the spacious room and sat me gingerly on the bed.

He ran his hands over my arms and gave my body a cursory examination. His keen eyes roamed over every inch of me and I fidgeted. He still cared about me. It mattered to him if I got hurt, and that made me smile. If only so weakly.

"Who did this to you?" he asked.

He had his fingers on a faint bruise that had developed some days ago on upper arm. It was when Rain had taken me to that cell. He was holding on to me tighter than necessary. That's probably because I had pinched his ass that day.

"It's nothing, that happened a while ago." I told him.

Nightwolf's fingertips began to glow green, and he rubbed the luminescent digits over the bruise until it had faded away. Then he kissed the spot where it used to be. I could've cried. I missed this man so badly, and we hadn't even been separated for more than a week. What was I gonna do without him? I still have to find Rain, and Paste-Face, and maybe even Ermac, too, if I'm still alive.

Nightwolf's fingers brushed my stomach under my shirt and I shivered. He had my, or should I say Rain's, shirt hiked up and was inspecting some red marks there. That's where Liu Kang had grabbed me in his death-grip. It was still tender. Nightwolf dragged a glowing palm across the marks and made them disappear. He glanced down over me again and sighed.

"You'll need to take a bath to get that blood off of you." he stated, "Do you have anything else to change into?"

I shook my head. The robe was back in the other room and I didn't feel like getting it. Nightwolf looked over at a red couch on the other side of the room where his satchel lay in a heap.

"I'll find you something. Can you tell me what happened earlier?" he asked.

I shifted on the bed and blew out a sigh, "Um, well. I was here. With Rain. We were in a room just down the hall."

Nightwolf nodded.

"I was hungry, so I left the room and then I ran into Kitana. We...exchanged some words, and she left. I tried to get back into the room, but Rain wouldn't let me in. Then he and Kitana got into a fight, and he knocked her against the wall. He left, and all those jerks showed up accusing me. They wouldn't let me explain, they all thought I did that shit to Kitty Kat. The bodyguard sicced those monks on me and then you showed up." I finished.

Nightwolf was hard to read. I definitely knew he was perturbed by what I had told him but he didn't seem mad at me. He cupped the side of my face in his hand and placed another kiss to the center of my head. His touch was like a balm to the fiery madness that had been consuming me, with Rain and those monks messing with me I had gotten pretty close to fucking somebody up. But Nightwolf came and changed everything. Now I wasn't even mad. I still wanted to seek out the demi-god but I wasn't about to explode like earlier. Knowing that he was upset too made me feel a little better.

"Where were you and Rain headed?" he asked.

"To find Pasty," I responded.

"Do you know where he is?" Nightwolf followed up.

"No." I scowled. It irked me to no end that Rain ditched me. I don't have the slightest clue where Pasty could be.

Nightwolf nodded and mulled over this information. "I'll go find you some clothes; I'll be right back." he said.

Before he left, though, he pulled me into a tight hug. "I've missed you, Mileena, my love. No matter the circumstances, I'm glad to see you again." he admitted.

I didn't have a chance to react. He was already out the door. I wrapped my arms around myself and again wondered how I was gonna make it without him. He was the only person I felt like I could trust with my whole entire heart. And when he had taken me from Liu Kang, peace had overtaken me. I felt safe around him and I felt special with him. His eyes were only meant for me, his touches and kisses were mine alone. He called me his love and it gave me chills. No one talks to me like he does, nobody looks out for me like he does.

There was a knock on the door and I knew it couldn't have been Nightwolf. He would've just come in. It was Sonya. She had a pile of folded clothes in her hands, and a black hat was on top of the stack. Her expression was neutral and her stance rigid.

I regarded her warily. I don't trust any of these people, even if they _are_ supposed to be the 'good-guys'. Sonya placed the stack on the bed and folded her arms. She appraised me critically and then exhaled sharply.

"Mileena, you can have these clothes. Nightwolf told me you needed some." she declared. "I don't know what happened or what's going on, but I do know that Nightwolf's been a mess without you."

"Why are you telling me this?" I asked. Secretly I was glad that Nightwolf had been missing me, too. His feelings for me hadn't changed at all. That was reassuring. With all that's changed in a matter of minutes, I need something constant.

Sonya said, "I just want you to think twice before you leave him again. I know what you've got to do, but Liu Kang and Raiden and Kung Lao just faced Quan Chi yesterday. Everyone's saying he's gotten stronger. You're gonna need help taking him down, and I think you should stick with Nightwolf. You don't have to be a part of the alliance, just let him help you." she reasoned.

I thought about what she had said. Pasty was harried the last time I'd seen him. Could it be that he's too much for me? Maybe I _should_ get Nightwolf to help me. Just a little bit. This would be _my _revenge, after all. But I wouldn't mind help as long as it was coming from the shaman.

Sonya started heading to the door, "Just think about it, alright?"

I nodded and told her that I would. I won't be joining any of _these_ people, but I _would_ stay with Nightwolf, for right now.

* * *

It was uncomfortably quiet, even after everyone had filed into the more than large enough hotel suite. As everybody sat down on a couch or chair or spot on the bed, Nightwolf took to leaning on the wall. Liu Kang and Kung Lao had emerged from the bathroom, having treated their bloody nose and lip, and they both sat 'Indian-style' on the long elegant coffee table. Raiden cleared his throat but Stryker was the first to speak.

"Okay. So what the hell just happened?" he asked baldly.

Nightwolf curled his lip in ferocious disgust; he'd like to know the same thing. He was just dying to ask the monks why they felt it necessary to man-handle and hurt Mileena the way that they did. But there were such things as decorum, and diplomacy.

By now Kitana had been roused, and she rubbed at the back of her head. Sitting up on the bed, she was tended to by Jade. She blinked and looked around.

"What...where is Mileena?" she asked. Her eyes darkened as her memory came deluging back. "Where is Rain?" she growled.

"Rain?" Jade asked, "You've seen him?"

Kitana frowned, "He and I were fighting, but then he got the upper hand and I...must've passed out." she recalled.

Jade looked mildly stunned, "So she _wasn't _lying." she whispered.

"Who?" Kitana asked.

"Mileena." Jade replied. "We thought it was her who attacked you, so we apprehended her."

Kitana looked worried. "You've made a mistake! She was in no way a threat to me."

Jade, and both the monks, as well as a certain thunder god, all looked slightly chagrined.

"Didn't she tell you what had happened?" Kitana asked her friend.

Jade answered weakly, "She did, but we thought she was lying."

"We saw you hurt, and she was the only one around..." Liu Kang trailed.

Kitana didn't fault them; if Rain had left, then she knew it must've looked like Mileena was the obvious culprit but that was not so. She really couldn't stomach that demi-god's disgraceful behavior. Because of him, Mileena had been unjustly blamed.

"Where is she now?" Kitana solicited. She'd be lying if she said she didn't care even a little bit for the welfare of her clone 'sister'.

"With me," Nightwolf spoke detachedly from his spot on the wall.

Kitana tilted her head, "She is with you? Where?"

"In my room," he elucidated.

Well that was interesting news to all but Sonya and Jax, who already knew of Nightwolf's relationship with Mileena. Everyone else was still wondering about that. They wanted to know why Nightwolf was acting so strangely all of a sudden. Now the curious inquiries were on the tips of everyone's tongues. Especially Kitana's. She had spoken with her twin, she knew Mileena had changed, but she had no idea the extent to which she had.

Again Raiden cleared his throat and said, "Now that everyone is here, we should discuss why we have gathered. Quan Chi has forced his armies into several realms and has been wreaking havoc upon them. Something must be done to stop him."

Nightwolf had to interject. "The emperor is not our only threat; Rain and Ermac served under the sorcerer, but they have since defected."

Stryker held up his hands and said, "Whoa, whoa whoa; Who are these people: Rain, Error Macro, Corn Chin?"

Raiden patiently explained, "Quan Chi is a master sorcerer and the self-proclaimed emperor of Outworld. He used to serve under Shao Kahn, but he killed him and absorbed his dark energy. I believe that's what's caused him to accrue so much more power so soon. Ermac is an ancient sorcerer and telepath who, along with the demi-god Rain, previously served under Quan Chi."

Stryker nodded but still didn't understand fully. He'd just have to go along with whatever plan these two leaders had in mind and hope he could keep up.

"So what's this guy's problem? Why is he causing so much trouble?" the officer asked.

Jade answered, "No one knows his motives or intentions. At first, Kitana and I believed he wished to expand his control from Outworld over to other worlds. But after he slaughtered both the Tarkatan and Shokan races, we weren't so sure. It's not imperialism, it's mass genocide." she said gravely.

"It would seem Vataernus and Edenia are already under his control, and Earthrealm may be next if we don't do something." Kitana asked.

"It would be best," Nightwolf interrupted monotonously, "If we split into two teams and went after both Quan Chi and Ermac. Rain is a wild card since he switches allegiances so often, so it'll be hard to track him down." Nightwolf stated.

Everyone murmured amongst themselves for a moment. Liu Kang's voice broke through the dissension.

"So what will the two teams be?" the monk asked.

Raiden chimed in, "I will lead one group to hunt Quan Chi, and Nightwolf will lead another to seek out Ermac."

Nightwolf knew that if he were going to have Mileena with him, she'd want to go after Quan Chi first, not Ermac. If anyone were to take out the emperor, she'd surely raise Hell.

"I must insist that I lead a group to hunt Quan Chi," Nightwolf told the elder god.

Raiden paused. "If you insist, then let it be done." he said agreeably. "Who do you wish to accompany you?"

"Miss Blade, her partner Mister Briggs, and Kurtis Stryker," he replied.

Raiden nodded, as did those whose name he'd called. The remaining four knew that they would be going with Raiden to find the host. Everyone began talking at once. Nightwolf turned to his group and sighed.

"I would advise you all get plenty of rest tonight. We'll be leaving in the morning." he said. "Meet me in the lobby and we'll discuss our plan of action."

Stryker nodded and walked out of the room, yawning as he went. Jax followed him. Sonya was not so easy to dismiss. She folded her arms and wore a knowing expression. This woman seemed to always know too much.

"Nightwolf." Sonya whispered, "What are you gonna do with her?"

Nightwolf had but one intention and he let it be known. "I plan to keep her with me." he answered.

"I figured that," Sonya hummed with a faint smile. "When are you going to heal her?"

To be perfectly honest, Nightwolf hadn't thought that out yet. He knew what it took to perform the Regenesis technique, and he didn't have that kind of time yet. But for her, he would make time. Perhaps in the next few days he would do it.

"Be careful, whenever you choose to do it." Sonya warned. "Once she has her old body back, I'm afraid she might not be the same again."

Nightwolf, too, was fearing that. He loved Mileena, though, and he had made his love a promise so he would heal her no matter how much he was not looking forward to doing it.

Sonya sighed, "Another thing is, she might leave you once she has what she wants. You have to be ready for that, whether it happens or not. And if she does leave, you can't go jeopardize the mission and try to get her back."

"I cannot promise you that I won't," Nightwolf stated honestly. He knew that if Mileena left, he wouldn't hesitate to try and bring her back. Unless she absolutely didn't want to be with them; then he would _have _to let her go.

"Listen, Nightwolf, I know you love her, but you have to do what's best for the good of the world now. This isn't just about her; the fate of more than one realm lies in the balance." Sonya advised.

Nightwolf couldn't even bring himself to consider the rest of the world where Mileena was involved; if it were up to him, he would no doubt choose her and let the 'rest of the world' burn. But he was a chief first and no matter how much it hurt him, he couldn't let hundreds of thousands of innocent lives be lost if it was in his power to do something to help save them. That was the hard part of his job. He had to do the right thing.

* * *

When Nightwolf came back I was already dressed. It had been a long day, and I was incredibly tired and ready to go to sleep. I was exhausted but relaxed from the long bath I'd taken. In the middle of bed I sat in the small shorts and tight white tank top with a red, white, and blue emblem embroidered on the front. Frequent blinks and utter stubbornness was the only reason I wasn't asleep yet: I was waiting up for Nightwolf.

Now that he was here, strange things began to happen. All that tiredness gave way to something intense and, with chills prickling all over my body, I felt wide awake. Weird.

Nightwolf closed the door behind him and looked down at that moment and saw the one thing I wish he wouldn't have. As it turned out, most of the clothes that Sonya gave me fit just right, except for one thing: the black bra. It was too big. And that hurt, because I didn't use to be this...unfortunate in that area. So in a fit of rage at the Pasty-faced bastard I had thrown the black cloth material at the door.

Nightwolf didn't miss anything. Ever. He picked up the lace and gazed at me questioningly.

"It didn't fit," I frowned. I shifted on the bed and looked away.

Nightwolf began walking over to me, folding the piece of clothing as he went. He placed it on the bed and took me by the hands. He pulled me up to my knees on the huge bed, and he smiled softly.

"Mileena." He rumbled. He looked me in the eyes and said, "You are...perfection."

I blushed and licked my lips. Perfection. Never had I heard that one. It made all the uneasiness go away and be replaced by the heavy warmness from earlier. I knew that feeling, it always seemed to envelope me when I was with him.

Nightwolf bent his head down and captured my mouth with his own. I brought my hands over his bare chest and around his back. His own hands found my waist and pulled it flush against him. He slid his teeth over my bottom lip, and gently he bit down on it. He moved from the bones of my jaw to my collar. And that was the end of his chaste embrace. He grazed the skin of my neck before sinking his teeth in. I inhaled sharply but smirked. I didn't mind him being a little rough.

Nightwolf licked the wound he had inflicted on my neck and ebbed the pain away with his hot tongue. He grabbed the bottom of my thighs and pushed me flat on my back. Fervently he continued to move against my lips while his hands rubbed up and down my legs with a mind of their own. When he started grinding on me I arched my body into his and couldn't hold in a single moan. I slid my hands down to the waistband of his pants but that was when he clutched my wrists and held them above my head. I jerked them free and grabbed a fistful of his hair. I forced his head from my stomach to my lips and he didn't protest. But he wouldn't let me take control. Devilishly his hands crept under the tight shirt and sought out my bare chest. Slowly he raised it up higher and took one of my nipples in his mouth, the other he teased between his forefinger and thumb. I squirmed under his ministrations and he smirked. He knew exactly what he was doing.

He pulled me above him, into his lap and I could feel how much I was affecting him as well. Good. I rolled my hips and began to do to him what he did to me. I dragged my tongue over the whole expanse of his chest in open-mouthed kisses and felt his body tighten. Beneath me he was only getting harder. From working in that shady club in Earthrealm, I knew a few things about giving lap dances so Nightwolf didn't stand a chance. He finally stopped me, though.

"Mileena, I think that's enough," he said raggedly. He hoisted me up with his arm supporting my bottom and walked stiffly to the head of the bed. He pulled back the covers and dropped me onto it.

As soon as he got in I sidled up next to him and frowned. "Why?" I asked. I climbed back into his lap and hooked my arms under his around his back.

"I don't want to go too far," he strained.

I kissed his neck steadily and tugged on his earlobe, "What's wrong with going too far?" I whispered.

Nightwolf's breath hitched and he subtly pushed me off of his lap, "Mileena, that is enough."

I stopped and just sat limply in his lap. "You don't want me or something?" I asked.

He took my face in both his hands and leaned his forehead to mine. In a husky timbre he said, "You have no. Idea. How much I want you, woman. But I can't take you this way."

"Why not?" I asked desperately.

He stroked my cheek, "We have to leave for a mission in the morning, Love."

"Where are we going?" I wanted to know.

He smiled, "You'll see tomorrow."

"Tell me now," I mock-pleaded. I didn't know how good I was at begging, I had never tried it before, so I had to gauge his reaction to know if it was effective or not.

I watched his eyes shut as he held on to the last bit of his control. That wasn't what I wanted to see but oh well. With a slight pout I eased off of him and stretched out on the bed.

"Whatever." I mumbled. I laid on my side and faced away from him. My body was tingling in response to all he had done to me and I wanted more. Nightwolf laid down, too, and by my waist he pulled me towards him.

I couldn't really be mad with him. He obviously wanted me, from what he's said, but he was holding back because it wasn't the time nor place for any of _that_. Perhaps he was waiting for me to marry him. I don't know why he would be, though, since it was obvious he was the only man I'd ever love. I was already his, some piece of paper or ritual wasn't needed to verify that. Maybe he just wanted our time together to be special. Whatever it was, I hope he'd make his move soon. I don't know how much longer either of us can take this.

* * *

**A/N: That concludes this edition of Strangled. ****Sorry if it seems like I'm ****dra****wing this out, I'm not doing that on purpose, it just takes time. In the next installment you will find out what happens with Team Nightwolf, what the dynamic duo (Ermac and Noobster) have been up to, where Rain scampered off to, and much much more! **

**Thanks for reading and stay tuned for the next chapter! Until next time...**

**~DymondGold~**


	23. Embraced

**A/N: Here's the next chapter, people. **

**I just started my second semester in college and I have a ton of work/reading to do. I'll try to squeeze in steady updates but it won't be easy.**

**To get an idea of how I picture Rain, go to YouTube and watch any video titled, "Rain's Mk9 Vignette". It will show him without his armor and with that ponytail I was talking about.**

**There's a warning for some sort-of adult material in this chapter; it's not what you think, though ;)**

**Disclaimer: Nothing MK-related belongs to this chick. It's all Netherealm studios' property. **

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Three**

* * *

Brittany was gone; almost immediately after waking up in the desert Rain had become aware of this disturbing fact. She was his favorite toy, his lucky knife, hand-crafted by the best of smiths in all of Earthrealm. He had named the purple-hilted dagger Brittany simply because it was made in the land of Brittany nearly 700 years ago. He kept it on him at all times and if he ever had a security blanket, it would be his Brittany. Now she was gone.

He wasn't wearing much clothes, just the linen pants he'd gotten from the emperor's lair, and after a cursory scan of his entire person he came up empty-handed. The pants he wore didn't have pockets, not like the other ones he had on last night. Quickly he transported himself back to the city. He sat down in the middle of the road that was not too far from the flashy inn and crossed his legs to think. He couldn't care less that he was obstructing the flow of traffic with his presence.

Horns blared and cars honked and swerved around him. He tapped his chin, unperturbed, and tried to recall the last place he had her. In the pocket of his pants, if he wasn't mistaken. But he didn't know where those pants were, thanks to that wench Mileena. She probably hid them. No matter. He'd tear that inn apart if he had to.

Languidly he rose and just barely dodged speeding vehicles as he made his way back to the sidewalk.

"_Watch where you're going, asshole!_" one angry driver spat at him. Rain scoffed and teleported back up to the 21st floor of the hotel. He found the hallway a mess, just as he'd left it. Only now there were attendants there trying to fix the lights he'd corrupted. A few maids were scrubbing at the bloody dent in the wall that the princess had made when she hit her head the night before.

Rain flexed his shoulders back and walked past them into the room he had previously occupied. Sleeping on the sandy ground had done a number on his back. He looked at the room and didn't see his clothes anywhere. He lifted the bed and saw nothing, nor was there anything in the closet. In the bathroom Mileena's altered shirt hung stiffly from the shower curtain pole and he frowned. If her clothes were here, she might have taken his instead. And if that was the case, she might have his dagger. _The thieving bitch. _

He scowled and teleported away from the city back to where he had fled last night; the desert near Quan Chi's lair. Only there was someone waiting for him this time.

Again he scoffed and cursed his luck. "I don't know how you found me but leave me alone. I'm not in the mood to deal with you right now,"

He should have known that wouldn't work. Not on Ermac.

"**Now you understand how _we_ feel; putting up with your shit is no picnic, princess**" the host sneered.

Ermac glanced around and asked, "Where is your partner?"

Rain snorted, "Don't know, don't fucking care." It was the truth. He turned his back on the host and began walking towards the lair.

Ermac slipped through the ground and appeared in front of Rain. "So you betrayed her? **Why are we not surprised.**"

Rain was sorely offended, "I didn't betray her, she betrayed _me_! She compromised the whole mission and she set me up."

"Why would she set you up if you were her key to finding the emperor and getting her revenge?" Ermac asked. "**What you just said reeks of bullshit.**"

Rain ground his teeth and balled his fists at his side. "Whatever. If you don't believe me go ask her yourself."

He stomped off barefoot through the hot sand but was once again impeded by the host. This was getting on his last nerve. He had better things to do than stand here and be nagged, dammit!

"Where are you going now?" Ermac asked.

Rain rolled his eyes, "I'm going to kill the emperor." He said offhandedly.

He needed that amulet, and he couldn't figure out any other way to get it other than killing the sorcerer and taking it from him. Deception wouldn't work, since Quan Chi knew expertly what the real amulet felt like.

Ermac had the nerve to let loose a disjointed chuckle, **"That has to be the most asinine thing we've heard you say yet, punk. **Are you really that base to think you can take the emperor on by yourself?"

"Of course," Rain snapped.

He knew that Quan Chi had weaknesses, everybody does. It'll take him a little while to figure out what that was, and then he'd have to find out a way to exploit that weakness. But if there was anything Rain had plenty of, it was time. He could wait. He'd play the role of Chi's servant a little while longer, and then he'd strike.

He didn't need Mileena or anyone else. He could, and _would, _do this on his own. Why should he have to keep taking orders from Ermac anyway?

_What I should do_, Rain thought, _is tell the emperor that Ermac is plotting behind his back, just like how I planned earlier. Then his attention will be on Ermac and not me. He won't suspect me, and I'll have ample room to stage an attack. _Brilliant, the demi-god smirked to himself.

He had no idea that the host had been listening to his traitorous thoughts, and therefore wasn't ready for the swift punch to the side of his jaw. He reeled back and narrowed his eyes into slants.

Ermac sauntered over to him and tsk'ed out loud. "That would never work. Don't even waste your time."

Gods, he hated that bastard. He couldn't wait until he had that amulet for himself. He wiped at his mouth and rotated his mandible with a tiny 'pop'.

Ermac kept advancing. "Since you're conspiring against us right to our face, we'll have to assume you're not in the alliance any longer, which means we have no choice but to kill you. **At long last**", they declared.

Rain didn't know what was going on: a green mist enveloped him and his surroundings grew astoundingly large. Then the ground began to quake as huge leather boots began to stalk over towards him. He watched in horror as one of them soared high over his head. Thinking quickly, Rain teleported to the left and jumped as the foot stomped down hard in the sandy place he'd just been standing.

Ermac cursed, and it felt as though the sound reverberated through each nerve in Rain's body. He shuddered and began to run. But then a dark shadow formed over him and he looked up to see the sole of Ermac's boot coming down on him again. He teleported to the right this time, but Ermac's other foot was waiting for him. He didn't have time to teleport so he tucked his knees up to his chest and rolled sharply out of harm's way. He tried to summon a little lightening in his tiny form, but the diminutive spark fizzled out on the top of Ermac's boot.

He sprinted and grew dizzy as the spell began to wear off. He tripped in the sand after returning slowly to his normal height, and then winced when Ermac's foot smashed into his abdomen. He heard more than one rib crack.

Ermac swore again. That technique was highly satisfying, but the only drawback to it was that it didn't last long enough. If an opponent wasn't smashed within a minute or so of their transformation, the spell would wear off.

Rain lay there, curled into himself in the sand while the host grimaced.

"We'll just have to kill you the old-fashioned way, then." Ermac sighed. They stalked menacingly over to his former partner.

Rain coughed and rolled onto his stomach. He lifted his upper body off the ground by his palms and closed his eyes tightly before the flat bottom of Ermac's boot could connect with his face. He successfully teleported, but he appeared behind Ermac sloppily stumbling and trying to regain his balance. It took a lot out of him to teleport that many times, and now he was a bit disoriented.

He squinted his eyes and kicked the unsuspecting host in the back. Ermac went staggering forward and Rain wiped at his face. Into the sand he spit out a mouthful of blood.

Ermac levitated just as Rain began to come at them with swift kicks and punches. While a few feet off the ground, Ermac let their knee come upwards and crash painfully into Rain's chin. They telepathically pushed the Edenian backwards and Rain lost his footing. He rolled several times in the sand and landed on his back with his arm twisted underneath his back. He leaned his head over and saw not one but two Ermac's phasing in and out of each other, coming towards him. He blinked hard and only one remained, getting nearer still.

The prince knew better than to try and fight a losing battle. Ermac had caught him off guard. He'd have to get away. He raised his shaking hand high and brought a streak of lightening down on Ermac. The host growled and trembled as their body convulsed in reaction to the high voltage. Now that Rain had distracted them, he used the last of his strength and conjured a portal. He wasn't a sorcerer like Ermac or Quan Chi, this wasn't his forte, but he managed to form a flickering yellow swirling gateway. He crawled through it halfway, but blindly Ermac grabbed at his foot.

Rain shot out a blast of high-pressured water into the host's face and Ermac released him. He narrowly was able to escape, and as soon as he did the weak portal dissipated into thin air.

Ermac shuddered as the last bit of electricity twitched through their system and groaned. _Slippery punk got away, _they frowned.

That was fine, though, because Rain's thoughts were practically screaming at them when he was creating that portal. He was going to Brittany, wherever that was. The memory of castles and greenery was fresh in Rain's mind, so Ermac was able to pick up on it easily.

Rather than go after him now, Ermac decided to fetch the wraith. They'd have to get Noob to help them defeat Rain. It wasn't that Ermac couldn't do it on their own, they just wanted to make sure that the demi-god stood no chance of getting away again.

* * *

_Today was not a good day in Hell, _Noob thought to himself, _not that there ever was one. _

If anything could go wrong today, it already did. He lost contact with his spies in Vataernus, there were more riots down in the western region of his realm, and Scorpion was pestering him for more Koins.

In Vataernus, there was a group of rogue mercenaries that were going to assist him in overthrowing the puppet monarch Quan Chi had put in place over the realm. But he lost contact with them; they were supposed to meet him in a local cafe but they never showed up. How rude of them. After waiting a polite thirty minutes to an hour, Noob had declared the meeting canceled and had left the cafe in a huff. The latte was pretty good, so he had tucked a stack of Koins under a napkin for the waitress to collect.

The riots were random and a sign of the Netherealm inhabitants getting surly again. Normally he'd just have Scorpion deal with them, since the spectre was a most frequent denizen of Hell, but lately Scorpion's been raising the price for his services: one thousand ruby and gold Koins each for putting down a single rebellion? Outrageous. His excuse was that he's been busy working on a 'project' and that it was taking away from his time spent working to go and deal with the riots. Noob sighed; good help was so hard to find these days.

Noob stopped brooding on his throne when he felt a disturbance in his realm. He could feel who it was even before they stepped through the portal and approached him.

"Noob, we require your assistance." Ermac stated immediately.

On the throne Noob sat slouched and folded his arms.

"Is that how you greet your comrade? No hello? You just barge in on me, demanding things?" he drawled.

Ermac frowned under his layered mask and hood, "Excuse us? **What's eating you?" **

Noob sighed. He shouldn't be taking out his bad mood on Ermac. It wasn't their fault he was having a crummy day. It would have just been nice if the host had at least bothered to ask him how he was doing lately. They hadn't seen each other in several days, after all.

"Nothing," Noob said, "What is it you need from me?"

"Rain's left the alliance." Ermac told him.

"Great. More bad news." Noob grumbled. He knew that Ermac couldn't stay long so he tried to put his gloominess on the back burner and handle business.

"I'm assuming we'll have to get rid of him now." Noob stated. "Pity." Rain could've been such an asset to them.

"What else can we do? If we don't, he'll expose us to the sorcerer." Ermac reasoned.

Noob had no doubt that Rain would do something like that. "Why didn't you kill him?"

"We tried, **but the little shit escaped**." Ermac growled.

Noob sort of admired Rain in that he could survive so well; his methods of doing so were unsavory, granted, but it took skill to have escaped Ermac. Usually, when the host wanted you dead, you died. But not Rain.

"Do you know where he's headed?" Noob asked.

"Brittany," Ermac answered, "**Wherever the hell that is**."

Noob knew exactly where that was, in Earthrealm, in the country of France. He had been there to have a blade crafted. There were mighty fine smiths in that region. Or at least there were a few centuries ago.

"I know where that is. When do you want to leave?" Noob asked.

Ermac replied, "As soon as possible. Preferably now, if you're not busy."

"Of course not." Noob told him agreeably.

Inside, though, Noob sighed. He didn't want to leave that soon. He didn't feel like it. He just wanted to go to the practice range, slaughter a few targets, and blow some steam after such a rough day. But it didn't look like he'd be getting to do that anytime soon.

* * *

Two little children, blonde twins, walked side by side down the countryside carrying a bucket of water in between them. Barefoot and only a few feet tall, they made their way down a dirt path back to their home a short distance away. Clad in white cotton button-ups and dark suspender shorts they jostled the icy liquid and spilled it onto their hips as they navigated over sticks and logs in their way.

After a while, they came upon something most peculiar. It was something they had never seen before. It was enough to make them put the wooden bucket down and get a closer look.

"What is it?" one child asked the other. Her identical brother had not an answer for her.

They approached the source of their curiosity and glanced at each other with a shrug.

"It looks like a man." One of the five-year-olds observed.

"Is he dead?" the girl asked.

"I don't think so." the boy said, "his chest is still moving."

"He must be sleeping." the little girl rationalized. "Since his eyes is closed."

"What is that red stuff all over him?" she then asked.

"Dunno." her twin replied.

The little boy was brave, he moved over to the body and poked at a bruise on the fallen person's stomach, none too gently. The person gave a hiss.

"Stop! Don't touch his bo-bo!" the little girl chastened.

But she found she couldn't help but poke at the man's bare chest, too. His mouth was wide open, and while her brother tweaked at the person's nose she stuck a tentative finger in the open crevice. She almost got her tiny digit bitten. She squealed and both children backed away.

"He smells bad," said her twin.

"Maybe he needs a bath." the little girl inferred.

"Let's give him a bath." she suggested.

They both thought this to be a wonderful idea, and each gripped the handle of the heavy, ice-cold bucket of water.

"Wait!" the little boy cried. "We can't use the water, Mama will be angry."

His twin nodded. "Mama will be very angry."

"What do we do then?" she asked.

"Let's take him home. Then we can give him a bath in the tub!" the little boy declared.

"Okay." his sister agreed. Then they were faced with another dilemma. They couldn't carry the water _and _the man back home.

"We can leave the water here." the boy said, "And then bring _him_ home with us."

"But what about the water?" the girl asked.

"We can come back for it." the boy stated.

Unsurely, the girl nodded. They didn't speak as they each grabbed at the man's hands and feet. The girl gripped the larger hands in her own tugged. She pulled, but she wasn't going anywhere. Her brother was having similar difficulty.

"He's too heavy!" she cried in distress. "What are we gonna' do?"

Her brother dropped the man's dirty bare feet and said, "Let's go get Mama. She will know what to do."

The abandoned the man and took up their bucket of water again. Together they moved quickly towards their home. By the time they got there, most of the water in the bucket had lurched out but neither child noticed as they banged on the front door of their modest house.

"Mama! Mama!" they cried.

Their young mother, frantic and in a tizzy, threw open the door and searched around for any sign of trouble while ushering her children into the house. She saw no threat, and turned to her little trouble-makers.

"What is the meaning of all this fuss?" she asked.

Both twins began talking loudly at once. She couldn't make heads or tails of what they were trying to say. They started tugging on her hands, leading her back out the door. She hurriedly untied her apron and shut the door behind her as her little ones guided her down the same trail that led to the communal well.

"Where are we going?" she asked. "This had better not be another of your tricks," she warned.

Earnestly her daughter said, "It's not a trick, Mama, it's a man!"

"We found him!"

"In the road!"

"He was dirty!"

"And he had a bo-bo!"

"On his tummy!"

"We tried to carry him," the daughter said.

"But he was too heavy." her brother filled in.

They reached the spot where the man once lay and the woman gasped. Her children spoke the truth, there was a man there. He sat hunched over, bloodied and bruised, holding his head. When the three caught his sight, he eyed them critically.

"Are you alright?" The mother asked.

It was obvious he wasn't alright, but she didn't know what else to say to somebody who looked like they'd been chewed up and spit back out through clenched teeth.

"I mean, do you need help?" she amended. Again, that was obvious, but she was in a bit of a shock.

"He needs a bath, Mama." the little girl said smartly.

The man rose unsteadily and the woman came to his aid immediately. She tried to grab his arm and help him but he jerked away.

He flexed and stretched his body gingerly and rolled his tongue around in his mouth. He spit out the foul taste left in his mouth and coughed.

The woman tried once more to reach out to him, "If you need a warm bed and a hot meal, at least for the night, I've got one."

The man seemed to mull over what she had offered and then nodded. She blinked and stammered.

"O-Okay, well then follow me. It's not too far." she promised. She had no idea who she had just taken in. She hoped dearly that she her kindness wouldn't be the death of her.

* * *

"Mileena..." someone whispered next to my ear. I snuggled deeper into the covers and turned my head.

"Mileena, wake up." I groaned and shifted under the blankets.

"Mileena." the person started shaking me. I grumbled and pulled the cover over my head. They were yanked away from me.

I shivered and curled into myself. Obstinately I kept my eyes shut against the bright light of the hotel room. I wasn't getting up. I'm still tired and it was too early, dammit.

Something spicy and distinctly 'meaty' hovered below my nose. The aroma was so tantalizing and mouth-watering that my body began to respond immediately. My stomach growled and I blinked, forcing my eyes open.

Nightwolf was hovering a strip of dried beef in front of my face with a smirk on his own.

The man knew me well.

I sat up as he waved the piece of meat back and forth just inches away from my mouth. I snapped at it but he kept it out of my reach. I leaned forward and made a grab for it but he held it above his head.

"You're going to have to get up, love," he said bemusedly.

I groaned and slid off the bed. I was already dressed, and so was Nightwolf. Once I'd put my shoes on he stuck the stick of beef into my mouth. I grinned and devoured it in seconds.

"Do you have anymore?" I asked eagerly.

"When's the last time you've eaten?" Nightwolf solicited.

I shrugged. "Can't remember."

He handed me his satchel and I swung it over my shoulder. Inside I found more dried meat. I hadn't eaten anything in gods know how long. Ever since I left Nightwolf, my diet has been terrible.

Nightwolf asked me if I had everything I needed, and I told him I did. I wore a private smirk when I felt the reassuring weight of not only both my sai's, but the pouch of Koins and Rain's dagger as well.

We headed down the hall and I saw a bunch of people working on the damage that Rain and Kitty Kat had created last night. I felt bad for the attendants. Blood was a bitch of a stain and hard to get rid of, especially when it's smeared on a wall.

After we got off the elevator, Nightwolf led me over to where there was plenty of food. I remembered seeing this area last night. I couldn't help the slow smile that spread across my lips.

"I hate to rush you, but we don't have much time. The others will be down any minute and once they arrive, we'll be leaving." Nightwolf told me.

I frowned, "Others? Who else is coming with us? Where are we going?"

"Eat first. I'll explain later." Nightwolf told me.

I didn't have to be told twice. I sashayed over to where I saw the most meat and pushed in between an old woman and a man in a business suit. They didn't seem to appreciate me doing that, but I really didn't care. I waited in line and picked up a plate. I piled my dish with sizzling, juicy breakfast meats of all kinds and saw some biscuits up ahead, in front of the old woman. I tapped my foot and waited for her to move up in line. She was taking forever, trying to butter her bread.

"Come on, grandma, can't you do that somewhere else? I'm starving here!" I complained.

"Wait your turn, _girlie_!" she shot back with surprisingly just as much vigor. I rolled my eyes and was about to retort but Nightwolf cleared his throat.

He had stepped in front of the old hag, "May I?" he asked, pointing to the biscuits.

"Of course, Sonny," the woman replied sweetly.

Nightwolf grabbed a couple of biscuits and then led me to a small table not too far away. I glared at the hag and sat down with a pout. Senile old bat.

"You should apologize to that old woman," Nightwolf told me. He set the bread on my plate and tucked my hair behind my ear.

I snorted, "That old woman can kiss my ass."

"Mileena," He said sternly, "It is not wise to behave in such a way towards your elders."

I shrugged. "Whatever." _I'm not apologizing to her. _

"And please mind you language," he added.

"Whatever." I said again.

I ate in silence and Nightwolf just watched me. I didn't care at first, but then it started to bother me. What was he looking at?

_Maybe you've got something on your face, dumbass, _that voice suggested. I glanced at the metallic napkin holder and couldn't see anything. Just in case, though, I pulled out a napkin and wiped at my stuffed mouth. Then I looked up and Nightwolf was still staring at me.

I swallowed and asked in a troubled voice, "Why are you staring at me?"

Nightwolf smiled and tilted his head. "Because you're so beautiful."

I looked down and let my hair fall as a curtain around my blushing face. I fought a smile for all I was worth. Nightwolf lifted my chin, though, and placed his hand flat against the table. With his other one, he brought my face to his and pecked at my lips. They were grease-stained; didn't he mind? He pulled back and kissed my forehead, too.

Someone whistled low and loud.

Both Nightwolf and I jerked our heads over to the source of the sound and I scowled. It was that cop. He was smirking and raising his eyebrows suggestively at Nightwolf. It was bad, because Nightwolf actually smirked back. It was a teeny, tiny snippet of a smirk but it was there.

I stood and brushed the crumbs off of the white tank top and black shorts I wore. Sonya had given me a black army hat, but I didn't like it. It just wasn't me. I had snapped it to on of my belt loops behind me. It might come in handy later on. Speaking of handy, I patted the pocket where Rain's dagger rested.

"So where are we going?" I asked.

Nightwolf stepped beside me and slid his arm around my waist naturally. I looked up at him. If he didn't mind, I didn't mind. The cop Stryker, Sonya, and Jax pretended not to notice.

"That depends on you, Mileena." Nightwolf said. "We are hunting the sorcerer. Perhaps you know where we could start searching?"

My eyes widened. "We're hunting Paste-Face? Why didn't you say so? I know exactly where he is. Well, I know where his lair is."

Nightwolf smiled warmly. "Good. Where is it?"

"Um, do you know how to get to Jade's desert?" I asked him.

He paused, "It's a few days' journey from here."

"We can take a jet. It'll be quicker." Sonya chimed in.

Stryker looked impressed. "You've got access to a jet?"

Jax laughed. "OIA. You heard of 'em? They give us all kinds of tight shit. We won't be needin' vehicles or money any time soon." he explained.

Nightwolf made a face at Jax's coarse language and I laughed. He never was one for swearing. Without looking down at me he drummed his fingers on my hips and smiled. I don't think he knows why I was laughing. Maybe just hearing me laugh was enough to make him smile.

* * *

_There was no sound, none that he could detect. It was as if his ears had malfunctioned, switched completely off. Where one sense was impaired, however, another was vastly heightened. He was hyper-aware of everything. He could feel the rough sheets of linen resting heavily on his naked body. Why was he naked? _

_He was in a bed, and he was not alone. Beside him he got his first view of a shimmering pair of legs. He was hovering above them. They were soft, and slender, and so smooth compared to the coarse covering of the bed. He reached down and ran his hands over the feminine knees, glided them over the woman's thighs. Because he was certain it was a woman beneath him. He could see more of her slim body. He splayed his palms over her warm, flat stomach glistening with sweat and realized he was sweating as well. The woman wore a scandalous pair of lacy deep-purple underwear. He loved that color. The color of royalty. Next he ran his open hands over her bare breasts. They yielded under his touch and he brought his mouth down on one of them. This caused the woman beneath him to react, to grabbed him by the back of his hair and tighten her legs around his hips. His hair was down, and his scalp stung lightly from the force of her tugging. He left her breasts and sucked on the valley of her neck. _

_He trailed his tongue up her chin and was met by luscious, pink lips. They were parted and soft-looking. He angled his head down and pushed his lips against hers. Those lips felt impossibly silky and tasted like Heaven to him. He pulled at her bottom lip delicately and let it slide back out between his teeth. His tongue raked longingly over hers and he felt, not heard, her moan stemming from the back of her throat. He reluctantly left her mouth and that's when he saw them. Those eyes. They were beautiful. They were enchanting. They were set in a face that was flushed sexily with thick, short hair the same shade as his own fanning over her cheeks and on the pillow beneath her head. Those eyes were gazing lustfully up at him, begging for more of his attention, for more of his touch, but he had to deny her.  
__Because those eyes belonged to Mileena. _

* * *

Rain jerked awake with a start. His pulse was racing and his heart was pounding in his ears. He was sweating all over, and he couldn't catch his breath. He looked around him. He was in a bed. There were rough red linen sheets pooled around his waist and his hair was down, clinging to the back of his neck. The small, twin-sized bed was next to a small window with plain white curtains. He looked down on the hardwood floor and sat two pairs of small feet; one was grubby and bare, the other clean and dainty. He looked higher and saw two little children, a boy and a girl, with blonde hair and baby brown eyes. They wore large white shirts that served as nightgowns, and twin expressions of mischief.

"What's that?" one of them pointed.

He couldn't tell if they were boys or girls. They were also nearly identical with their short, ear-length blonde hair and round, babyish faces.

"Yeah, what's that?" the other one chimed in, pointing as well.

Rain looked to where their tiny little digits were extended and saw that in his lap lay a stiff reminder of his particularly...stimulating dream. It all came back to him and his jaw dropped.

_No fucking way in Hell would I ever think of the half-breed bitch in that way_, Rain thought angrily to himself. _This has to be the result of some kind of spell or something Ermac placed on me without my being aware. Yeah, that's it. The host has to be screwing with my mind or some weird shit like that. 'Cause there's no way I'd ever have a sick, filthy, disgusting, horrid dream like that on my own, _he rationalized.

With a deep scowl he climbed out of bed and ignored the two little urchins scampering around his legs. They were asking him questions and tugging at the bottom of his pants but he paid them no mind. He had to deal with his little problem. He walked out of the room, down a short hall in the direction of where he smelled food, and came into a kitchen with a woman busying herself at an wooden stove.

Rain stopped in the doorway and it would seem his presence alone just drew attention. The woman stopped in her work and looked at him.

"Good morning!" she greeted, then she _looked _at him. "Oh!" she cried embarrassingly. She came over and ushered her children to the kitchen table while trying to keep her eyes averted.

"Where is the door?" Rain asked.

The woman was helping one of her babies up into a chair when she answered, "Right next to the fridge."

Rain looked to where her finger was pointing and saw the sturdy wooden door. He opened it and walked purposefully forward.

"Watch out, there's a-" the woman started to say but a loud bang interrupted her.

Rain rubbed his face and licked at his busted lip.

"...screen. Sorry about that." the woman sheepishly said.

Rain mustered up some of that princely dignity and pushed open the clear-glass screen door. He made his way down the wide, flat steps and saw nothing but grass and plains all around him. It was like the shaman's village all over again.

He chose a random area several yards away from the house and stripped himself of his pants. He folded them and put them far off where they would stay dry. Then he gathered water into his hands. He swirled and augmented the ball of moisture into a giant ball and then shot it into the air. It came showering down on top of him and he let the icy water wash away the last few flames of desire burning within him.

He realized where he was. In Brittany. It was the first place that popped into his head when he was forming that portal, and thus he arrived here. It was a remote place, so he should have a little time to recoup after Ermac's attack. He would rest up and go back to Quan Chi's lair prepared next time. Ermac would no doubt be there, waiting for him again so Rain had to be on his guard. He poked at his ribs and winced. He would need at least two days for his injuries to heal fully. If he left now, they'd only slow him down, and he needed to be at his prime when facing the host.

The water stopped falling and Rain shivered. He was soaked and getting chilly. He manipulated the droplets off of his body and went to retrieve his clothing. His little problem was gone, but that dream still lingered in the back of his mind, haunting him.

* * *

**A/N: Don't shoot me just yet, okay: there's a reason for everything that's going on, just trust me, kay? I hope you enjoyed this chapter. It was fun to write, and I was laughing the whole time I wrote the _dream_ scene. I'm not used to writing saucy material, I mean, this is my first story. ****  
**

**Just out of curiosity...how many people actually _like_ Rain? Because I adore him. Even if he is the way he is. Anyway, s****tay tuned for the next chapter! Until next time...**

**~DymondGold~**


	24. Enabled

**A/N: Hey everybody, if you haven't noticed by now, I know next to _nothing_ about the land of Brittany, so if you're from there, please either correct me or excuse my ignorance ^_^'**

**Disclaimer: I don't own MK or any of its characters/themes/settings; All credit goes to Ed Boon and his friends at Netherealm Studios.**

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Four**

* * *

"We couldn't get our hands on an available jet right now, so we're gonna have to make due with a chopper." Sonya told us.

After waiting in the lobby of the OIA building for nearly an hour I was just happy we were finally able to leave. Nightwolf, Stryker and I stood as she and Jax emerged from the room that only admitted personnel and I stretched. The white tank top rose up and Stryker glanced my way, but Nightwolf quickly tugged the white cloth down over my stomach. We all started walking out of the office and back to the parking lot. We had taken a military vehicle to get here, and now Sonya was escorting us to where the chopper would be waiting.

She and her partner led us to the elevator of the dimly lit parking garage and we all piled into the shaft quickly. Jax mashed a button and we began to ascend. I turned to Nightwolf, who had been oddly quiet since we left the hotel. Sonya told him something, and then he just got this raincloud over his head. I wonder what's bothering him.

The elevator slowed to a stop and opened its doors and we all filed out. Low and behold, a big black and red and white monstrosity was waiting for us up on the rooftop of the building. The blades on the vehicle whipped our hair out behind us and I covered my eyes against the rippling winds. There was a guy piloting the thing, but Sonya took his place while he moved to the back.

I glanced at her and smiled, "You can fly this thing?"

"Of course," she replied.

"Nice," I murmured admirably.

She began situating herself in the front right seat and started strapping on the necessary equipment. She switched on levers and pushed buttons and turned dials expertly. The rest of us climbed into the helicopter as well. Jax took up a seat next to his partner while Stryker, Nightwolf, and I buckled ourselves down in the three empty gray seats behind them. Nightwolf still wasn't talking, so after he shut the door and slid into the seat between the cop and me, I pretended to have trouble with my seat belt.

"Can you do this for me?" I asked him. I was trying to get him to talk, to say something, anything, but it didn't work.

Wordlessly he reached over and clasped the metal and vinyl strap across my lap securely. Then he did the same for himself. Sonya turned around and asked if we were all good to go, and we answered in the affirmative. But that monotonous, 'yes', was the only thing Nightwolf said.

I nudged him and asked, "Nightwolf what's the matter? How come you look so depressed?"

He looked over at me and sighed. Then he kissed the bridge of my nose gently and whispered, "I'm fine. Don't worry about it."

Stryker coughed awkwardly and the previous pilot turned his head over to the window.

"Uh, how um, how long is this trip gonna take, exactly?" the cop asked. The pilot guy seemed to be of like mind.

_How long am I gonna be stuck back here with these two,_ was what they probably wanted to know. I would feel weird were I in their position, too, I guess. Nightwolf isn't really picky about when or where he chooses to show affection. I smirked and listened to Sonya as she explained that it would only take a couple of hours to reach the desert.

Nightwolf still looked agitated. Like he had something on his mind. I don't think I can wheedle it out of him so maybe I'll just leave him to it. If he says he's fine, then he must be fine. I lifted his satchel from around my shoulder and pulled out a strip of dried beef.

The ride was a long, quiet one and it felt like more than just a couple of hours had gone by. It was high noon in the desert when we exited the chopper, and immediately I donned the hat Sonya had given me. I brushed the budding droplets of sweat from my arms and looked around.

"Does any of this look familiar?" Nightwolf asked as the pilot took over. Soon the chopper was flying off over our heads.

All I could see was sand and stone boulders and skeletons littering the ground. But it did look sorta familiar. So I nodded and told him it did.  
"We'll follow you, then," Sonya said. She was relinquishing control over to me, and I led the way with Nightwolf trailing close beside me.

I highly doubted Pasty was even in his lair right now. He did say that he was going to be dealing with a nuisance the last time I saw him, so he might still be gone. If he is here, though, it'd be best not to do anything rash. I still don't have my body back. Which reminds me.

"Nightwolf," I asked, "When are you gonna heal me?"

Nightwolf stiffened and he answered, "Soon. When would you like me to do it?"

So that's what was bothering him. But why? Didn't he want to cure me? He cured Liu Kang and he didn't act this way, so what was the problem? I'll talk to him later.

"Maybe in a few days?" I asked.

He nodded, but he didn't seem pleased. I frowned and stopped walking.

"What, you don't wanna do it anymore?" I asked. I tried so very hard to conceal the hurt and confusion from my voice but Nightwolf missed nothing.

He stroked my cheek and told me, "Mileena. I promise I will restore you."

"You didn't answer my question," I pointed out, taking hold of the hand that held my face. He took my hand down and gave the knuckles a soft squeeze.

Sonya interrupted politely, "Guys, we're wasting time." she stated duly.

Nightwolf nodded. "Miss Blade is right. We'll talk about this later." he told me. I frowned and then pulled my hand out of his.

"Damn right we'll talk about it later." I grumbled. _What is his problem? I thought he was on my side; why is he acting like this? _

Pretty soon we came upon the lair and it took me by surprise because we hadn't passed not one guard like last time. There were at least four or five masked ones who tried to intercept Rain and me, but this time not a single one was to be seen. Even at the doors of the metal building there weren't any guards. Something fishy was going on here.

"Is this the place?" Stryker asked.

Everybody was looking over the lair with justified suspicion; it shouldn't be this easy to get into.

"Why aren't there any guards around?" Sonya mused, "You'd think there would be at least a few."

"There were plenty. Last time," I said, "Rain and I killed the others, but I thought Pasty would replace them."

The doors weren't even closed all the way. This definitely screamed trouble, but I was prepared to go in anyway. I stepped up to the metal entrance and clasped my fingers around the edge of one of its doors. I gave the solid thing a couple of tugs and forced it to slide over the grainy sand so that I could pass. The others didn't do a damn thing to help me, but at least Nightwolf had come to my aid. He pushed it open wider and motioned for me to wait.

"Let me go ahead of you," he said. "It may not be safe."

I let my shoulders drop as my heart did funny things in response to his actions; he was doing it again, he was trying to take care of me. It was something I wasn't used to be didn't discourage. I allowed him to walk past me and then fell into step behind him. It was dark, darker than I remembered, and Nightwolf reached back and grabbed my hand.

He led us down a long corridor, but at the end of it there was no light like last time. He pushed open the doors and I wondered how he could navigate so well when I could barely see. Then I remembered: his eyesight was better than average, _much_ better.

We entered the large room that Rain and I had been in a few days ago and I lifted a brow. Not only was it pitch black in here unlike last time, it had an echo in it when Nightwolf spoke again.

"It's empty." he said.

There was a little click and then a bright white flash of light shot out from behind me. I turned around and covered my eyes as I came face-to-bulb with Stryker's flashlight.

"Sorry 'bout that," he apologized. He shined the thing somewhere else while I tried to get rid of the little spots dancing behind my eyelids. After they were gone, I could see that the room was, in fact, empty like Nightwolf said. It was bare. The damp wooden floorboards, dull-colored walls, and raised dais were the only things that I could see. That's weird. I'm sure there were other things in here before.

Nightwolf and Stryker led the way out of that room and into another down the hall, on the left. Other than some furniture and such, there was nothing in there, either. I had a feeling Pasty would be gone, but it looks like he's left for good. All the rooms we checked came up with similar results. Except for the last one, which was the prison.

As soon as we stalked down the dusty steps to the holding cells I could hear scraping metal and clinking chains and other noises indicative of living prisoners being down here. At least that hadn't changed from last time.

Nightwolf tried to get through to them, "Where is Quan Chi?" he asked, but nobody said anything in response.

In fact, it even got quieter. I don't know if they just had no idea where Pasty was or they were all shocked by our little group coming in and asking them questions, but nobody said a word.

"They probably don't know anything," Sonya told Nightwolf. Just like I was thinking.

Jax suggested, "Maybe we should split up and search the rest of the place, just in case there is something that could tell us where he went."

"Good thinking," Stryker said, "but we only got one flashlight; how are we gonna be able to see anything if we split up?"

Nightwolf pulled me by my waist over to him and lifted the satchel off of my shoulders. He dug into the bag and pulled out three slim arrows. They looked ordinary enough, but when he enchanted them with soft-spoken words, their tips lit up with bright green fire. He handed one to Jax and Sonya, and kept one for himself.

"Where's mine?" I asked.

He tapped my forehead and said, "You're coming with me."

The others in the group dispersed and so did Nightwolf and I. We headed back up the stairs and down another corridor in the opposite direction of Sonya, adjacent to the one Jax had entered.

"If anyone finds anything, just holler...or something," Sonya called out.

"Roger that." Jax proclaimed.

"10-4," Stryker also called affirmatively.

Nightwolf again reached back and took my hand in his. He held the arrow in front of him and guided us into an octagonal-shaped musty room. I figured now was as good a time as any to talk about what happened earlier.

"Nightwolf," I started, "Why are you so put off by the thought of healing me?"

He sighed, "I'm not put off by it."

"Then what's the problem?" I persisted.

He held his head low and scanned over the wooden table that seemed to span the entire circumference of the room. There were papers and maps and pins and rags all over it.

"Mileena, I don't want you to change into something you're not. That's all," he admitted.

I blinked and folded my arms. Change into something I'm not? What does he mean by that? My powers define me, so did my body. It was and always will be a part of who I am. I'm not going to be changing into anything; why is he so worried about that? Unless...

"Do you think I won't love you anymore? That I'll just forget about everything between us and leave you behind?" I asked him gently.

He didn't answer at first, "I'm not sure." he said slowly. "Once you are restored, I don't know what will happen. Between us."

"Nothing is gonna happen," I assured him. "I'm gonna get my old body back, and then..." something dawned on me.

My old body wasn't exactly glamorous, I mean, I wore a mask for a reason. That never bothered me before, but Nightwolf has never seen my true self.

What if...

What if he...

Will it horrify him, my natural looks? What if he stops loving _me _instead of the other way around because I don't look the way that I did when he fell for me? Will he abandon me? And since I'm getting my body back, will those cravings be back as well? It would only make sense, and wouldn't _that_ be a nightmare. My desire for human flesh would definitely turn him off, and it might even cause problems between us because as far as I knew, Nightwolf didn't condone the eating of his fellow human beings.

_Shit, it's always something in this relationship, _I thought bitterly. If Nightwolf and I were meant to be together, why are so many obstacles getting in our way? Is that the way love works?

Something pricked at the back of my ankle and I swore and looked down. Then I froze: no fucking way was I seeing what I was seeing right now.

"What's the matter, love?" Nightwolf asked. He turned around just in time as I whipped my head back up.

"Nothing. I just, um, scratched myself. On accident." I lied. If Nightwolf saw through it, he didn't let on.

I edged out of the room and said, "I'll be right back. I just have to go and, um, check something." I stammered.

_Please don't follow me, please don't follow me, PLEASE don't follow me,_ I silently implored as I made my way down the hall. I was trailing after the little yellow insect that had stung my ankle. I hope to gods Nightwolf didn't see it.

The little insect scuttled rapidly into the room on the right, all the way at the end of the corridor. I ducked into the room and closed the heavy wood door behind me. I turned around quickly, and bent down to pick up the little thing. It squirmed as I held it by its long tail. I dangled it inches from my face, then flung it over to its master who was leaning on a wall across from me.

In his palm he crushed the tiny yellow thing and melded it with his skin. Then he folded his arms tightly and glared down at me with those ever-strange white eyes; at least I think he was glaring. His emotions were always an enigma to me. Except for anger and rage, those were pretty distinct.

"You summoned," I murmured with my hands on my hips.

He pushed himself off the wall and said, "I had a feeling you'd be here."

"What do you want? I haven't seen hide nor hair of you in gods know when." I remarked.

It was true. From our days serving under the emperor Kahn, he and I worked closely at times. Although we weren't partners or comrades, we had our share of companionable moments. As far as I can recall. But after a while, this guy just disappeared.

He took even steps towards me and I backed up; I knew neither his motives nor intentions.

"I know what the sorcerer has done to you, I see proof of it as we speak, and I know that you seek revenge." the ninja stated.

"Okay." I said pointedly, urging him to continue.

He added, "I, too, seek vengeance. However, I am unable to exact it as of yet. I've been busy."

I snorted, "You? Too busy to get revenge?" I joked incredulously.

I called to mind all those instances of the spectre in front of me chasing after his arch-nemesis with a passion undying. If there was ever a word I'd always associate with the man in front of me, it'd be avenger.

And Hell.

"There are others things that require my attention at the moment." he said in a slightly defensive tone of voice.

"Whatever," I smirked. I still couldn't believe it. "You still haven't told me what you want."

"If you would stop _interrupting_ me." he said matter-of-factly. "I have information for you."

"Information?" I repeated.

He said, "Yes. About the sorcerer. You won't find him here: he's cleaned out the lair and taken his guards to the main palace."

_The main palace? But that's so obvious! Doesn't Pasty realize everyone knows where the main palace is thanks to Kahn and his tournaments? _

"There is more that I must tell you." the spectre said, "Quan Chi knows of many things. He knows of Rain's betrayal and he knows that the demi-god lusts after his amulet, the one stolen from Shinnok."

I raised my hand and shut my eyes tightly, "Please don't use demi-god and lust in the same sentence again, it's giving me terrible mental images." _I already can't stand the fucking arrogant ass punk. _

The ninja continued as if he hadn't heard me, "Quan Chi knows about Rain's betrayal and is planning on executing him soon. He has no idea about Ermac and Noob Saibot."

"How do _you_ know about Ermac and Noob?" I asked suspiciously.

With a sigh the spectre said, "I work for Noob occasionally. He is a very lonely wraith in need of companionship. I've heard things." he explained uncomfortably.

Somehow I could believe him about Noob being lonely. It just made sense. I shrugged at his explanation and he continued.

"The sorcerer also knows that someone has resurrected the monk Liu Kang, and he is in the process of making plans to eradicate that person right now."

"Nightwolf resurrected Liu Kang. But Pasty doesn't know that. The only ones who _do_ know about Nightwolf's technique are us." I said in reference to myself and the alliance between Sonya, Jax, and the others.

"Are you sure?" the ninja asked knowingly.

"Yeah...Wait, no. Rain knows, too; he's the one who told me." I suddenly realized.

I can only hope Rain is still cavorting with Noob and Ermac because if he isn't, I wouldn't put it past him to go and tell the emperor everything he knows about Nightwolf and about Ermac and about all kinds of things that would put a lot of people in deep shit.

"Rain is no longer allied with Ermac and Noob Saibot." the ninja told me as if reading my mind.

"Shit." I muttered.

This was bad. I had to warn Nightwolf and the others.

It only makes sense that Pasty is bent on taking out whoever's responsible for the monk's resurrection: if they did it for Liu Kang, then they could do it for anyone else. And knowing Nightwolf, he'll try and heal every single victim that comes his way and for no charge, either. That's just the way he is. Selfless. Benevolent. Total opposite of me.

Anyway, I can imagine how big a nuisance that would be to have someone coming behind you, undoing your hard work of trying to commence with the mass genocide and such.

"Why are you telling me all this?" I asked of my, at one time, affiliate.

He said quietly, "My reasons are my own. Just know that I speak the truth, and if there is anything else that comes to my attention, I'll let you know."

"Why?" I reiterated.

"You'll get a summons like the one you're used to," he continued on, ignoring me completely while gesturing to the tattoo of the golden, long-tailed insect on his palm.

He said, still quietly, "Tell no one that I am in contact with you."

I nodded but was unsure about this man. I don't want to put my trust in him, but I've never known him to be deceptive or duplicitous. He was always blunt, honest, sometimes brutally so.

"Alright, whatever." I answered.

I rubbed my arms up and down and glanced around me in the closet that was suddenly too small. Maybe it was my nerves getting me worked up; I was worried for Nightwolf and for myself if I don't get my powers back soon. I'm not stupid, I know I'm in no shape to be fighting Paste-Face yet.

"I must go. When I left, I was in the middle of important business but I had a feeling you'd be here and it's so hard to keep up with you." he told me.

"You keep tabs on me or something?" I asked half-jokingly. The other half of me was dead serious and disturbed by the fact. Who else is watching me?

The spectre only said, "Not just you. I make it my business to know what's going on at all times. I can't afford to be ignorant or misinformed."

He stepped back slowly, still facing me. I knew he was preparing to teleport away, probably back to the Netherealm but I couldn't be sure. This guy sounds like he's been getting around to have known so much.

"Before you go," I called, "Do you know anything else about Rain?"

"The demi-god?" he asked.

"The one and fucking only." I frowned.

He paused and his blind stare penetrated straight through me. "I can only tell you that he was rumored to be here in Earthrealm. In Brenda, Brandy, Britna-something or the other. It was a rumor, so I wouldn't put much faith in it."

"I see." I said, highly disappointed.

"He wants that amulet, though. So wherever Quan Chi is, there you'll find the Edenian also." he told me helpfully.

"I must go. I'll be in touch." he said. With his signature sweep of ashes and hellfire he was gone.

Hmm. Scorpion is a whole lot more secretive than I remembered him being a long time ago. But then, I never really knew him that well. I still don't. What could he have to gain by helping me out? I don't know, but I'm glad he's told me all of that stuff. I feel like I'm one step ahead, even if I'm not. At least I know what's coming. All I have to do now is inform Nightwolf and the others. I'd say this mission is going pretty well.

* * *

**A/N: Okay, this has to be the most boring and uneventful chapter ever, I'm sorry. But it was all I could muster up since I'm sick and I feel miserable and I'm sneezing every two seconds -_-;**

**I promise that the next chapter will have plenty of action and violence and off-beat humor and some surprises packed into it. I have a question; do you guys mind long chapters? Should I pile all that stuff into one or just break it up? Let me know, kay. **

**And please review; it'll cheer me up! **

**Until next time, **

**~DymondGold~**


	25. Supported

**A/N: Good news and bad news. Good news, I'm not sick anymore. Bad news, this chapter was kind of all over the place. Let me know if it was hard to follow or anything. I'm trying to keep it all together but sometimes I get ahead of myself. **

**Warning: adult material, if you don't like it, just skip over the beginning part with the italics. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything MK-related, be it settings or themes or characters or otherwise; it belongs to Netherealm Studios.**

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Five**

* * *

_There was a fire within him and it was consuming him from the inside out. His entire body was scorching hot and drenched in sweat, the muscles in his abdomen were clenched almost as tightly as the slender pair of sleek legs around his waist. There were sheets atop his bare back, clinging to his skin as if it belonged. Below him his full weight rested flush against another, more feminine body. He was caught in a passionate kiss with a softer set of lips and he could taste the blood in her mouth from where he'd bitten down on her bottom lip. He licked roughly at the wound and brushed his nose against hers. Reluctantly he left her mouth and dragged his tongue down her chin, down her neck, all the way to the valley in between her bare breasts. He clutched the malleable creations in both open palms, then closed his fist around them callously. Her hiss was of pleasure, not pain and when he pulled one of her tense nipples between his front teeth she got even wetter beneath him. Writhing and moaning she was, with her hands pressing down on the bottom of his spine to bring him down even closer to her. He moved his hands to the sides of her lean stomach and buried his hot wet oral appendage in the crevice of her navel. As if of their own accord his hips were thrusting into her body in slow, even strokes and it took everything in him not to moan along with her. She was panting and rolling her own hips desperately up to meet his. With every thrust into her slippery hot core he could feel himself come closer and closer to a pleasurable peak. Her back was arching up off of the bed and he knew she was in a similar state as he. Shallowly she breathed through her open mouth. _

_"Ha-harder," she begged before his mouth ravaged hers again. _

_He felt a sweep of deja vu wash over him as he dragged her abused bottom lip through his teeth but it was pushed aside as his nails dug bruisingly into her thighs. He ground into her unrelentingly and with all his strength. He wanted to make it hurt. She moaned and hissed his name and damn if it didn't sound good. He pushed into her again and again. He was close and so was she. Faster and harder he worked her body as the space in between them diminished still. He leaned forward and locked gazes with her. And it was over. That familiar, flushed face lit aglow with those expressive eyes had done the worst. He recognized her instantly. Still, though, her eyes told no lies; she wanted him so bad. She didn't have to say anything for him to know it, but her ruby lips gave way to words anyway. _

_"Rain, I want you," she whispered sexily, bringing him down by the back of his head closer to her waiting mouth._

* * *

I didn't know how to process all the things Scorpion just told me but I tried on the walk back to the room Nightwolf was in. I suppose I had a feeling Rain would quit the alliance, but I can't really judge him because in a way, so did I. I was only using Ermac and Noob's faction to reach my own goals faster but now that Rain ditched me I don't need the duo anymore.

Since I knew Rain was after Pasty's amulet, it'll make tracking him down that much easier. Wherever Pasty is, Rain will probably be, too. And as for Pasty's plan to eradicate the person responsible for undoing his work, well I have no doubt that Nightwolf can take care of himself but I'd like to help him out in some way. So I came up with a plan in my head as I walked down the darkened hall.

When I returned to the dimly lit room Nightwolf was leaning on one of the opposite octagonal walls. He had one leg bent at the knee behind him and the other on the damp wood floor below. His head was down, as if in thought, but it rose as soon as I entered. I tried to appear inconspicuous, and started to head over to the stacks of papers. Nightwolf must have been through all of them, because they were all arranged neatly now.

I sighed and cleared the papers out of the way and sat on the long cold table that spanned almost the whole small room. When I folded my arms, Nightwolf was still staring at me. He knew something had gone down.

"Who were you speaking to?" he asked. There was nothing but business in his tone. He had his arms down beside him and he slowly slid his foot off the wall.

Coyly I replied, "How do you know I was talking to anybody?"

Wordlessly he pointed to one of his ears and then crossed his arms again. So he had me there.

"...A friend." I answered evasively. Scorp only asked that I not say anything about him in return for the vital information, so I owed him that much.

Nightwolf didn't press the issue. He just tilted his head back against the wall and closed his eyes.

"Did this friend have any information regarding Quan Chi?" he asked.

I told him, "Um, yeah. Pasty's moved his guards to the main palace, the one Kahn used to live in." I explained.

Nightwolf nodded. "I remember it."

I looked down at my lap and braced myself for the response my next words would have on him. I laid both my hands over my thighs and wet my lips.

"I'm going there as soon as I can. Alone." I told him curtly.

His reaction was immediate. "I don't think so."

He was pushing himself off of the wall and making his way over to me. I could barely see him but I could hear his clothes rustling and could detect the shine of the arrow as it came closer. Nightwolf set the glowing arrow down atop a stack of papers on the other side of me. Astoundingly, the papers didn't burn or catch fire. Nightwolf was in front of me, about a couple feet away. I kept my eyes on the green light instead of looking up at him.

"Why can't we all go?" he suggested.

I scoffed. "Pasty knows you can reverse his technique, he'd kill you in a heartbeat," I said honestly.

"And the others would only get in the way of my plan." I added.

"What plan?" Nightwolf asked above me, "You're not thinking of attacking him on your own, are you?"

I shook my head and traced the inside of my thighs. I could feel my hair swipe against my cheeks as I indicated that no, I was not planning of confronting Pasty. Not yet.

I couldn't tear my eyes away from the bare skin that Sonya's borrowed shorts exposed on me, and with my hands on my knees I finally glanced up at Nightwolf. He was gazing elsewhere but must've felt my stare because he turned back over to me and sighed.

"What makes you think he won't kill you, too?" he asked gently.

That was a good question. "He made an offer for me to serve under him a few days ago. I'm gonna try and keep him from coming after you, and get some idea of what his plans are."

Nightwolf held that same displeased expression. "Mileena, what if Quan Chi goes back on his word and attacks you instead?"

"That's a risk I have to put up with." I replied easily.

Nightwolf's frown deepened and he pushed his fingers agitatedly through his hair. It looked like it had grown since when I first met him. Past his shoulders and down his back the thick black unrestrained strands fell. His dark hair framed his face without a tribal band or headpiece to hold it back. His face was devoid of paint but in its place worry creased at his brow and contorted his features into that of a stressed old man. I smiled. He wasn't old. I reached up and smoothed my two pointer fingers over his forehead.

"You don't have to get all worried about me, Nightwolf. I'll be okay." I said softly.

Nightwolf took my fingers down and brought them to his lips. He dragged them down his chin and grasped both my hands in his.

"Mileena, I love you. I'll always worry about you. Especially if you're putting yourself in this kind of dangerous situation. At least let _me_ go with you." he entreated.

I didn't want to have to tell him that out of all the people in the 'alliance', he was the one I especially didn't want going with me. Pasty is going to do things to me that I know I'm not going to like or appreciate, and if Nightwolf is there he might do something in retaliation and jeopardize the whole mission and we'll both end up in trouble. That's why I have to do this by myself. Of course I couldn't explain this to him without him worrying even more, so I tried to appeal to the side of him that was weakest; he would do anything for his beloved people.

"Nightwolf, no," I said, "You have to be there to protect the village. You are the chief, it's your duty to be there for them." I sternly told him.

Nightwolf's determined demeanor did not change. He only said, "Tvari has taken my place for now."

I scoffed, "Right. I'm sure he's doing a _lovely_ job now that he's crippled and half-blind."

"And whose fault is that?" Nightwolf asked with a brow raised.

Instantly I cried, "His! He shouldn't have treated me the way that he did all those weeks," I muttered remorselessly.

Nightwolf's countenance darkened and he said, "No. He shouldn't have."

His tone promised retribution and I, for once, kind of felt bad for the Prick. Well not really. He had it coming.

"Pasty's armies are gonna be there, looking for you. It would be best if your men had their chief to back them up," I remarked softly, severely.

That wasn't exactly true or false, it hadn't been confirmed but was kinda implied. I had to tell Nightwolf something to get him off my back. He definitely was off my back, too. The look on his face was one of mild anguish and indecision. I could tell he was fighting my logic but then he seemed to calm down and accept what I'd told him.

"Did you find any information on the demigod?" he asked neutrally. I didn't like how detached he sounded but shrugged mentally.

"No, nothing," I lied.

If there was anything I could not tell him, it was that Rain would most likely be there at the main palace as well, at some point or another, if what Scorp had told me was true. That would just make drive Nightwolf crazy knowing that both Rain and Pasty were in close proximity to me and if they so chose, both had ample opportunity to kill me. I'll definitely just keep that to myself.

Nightwolf seemed to believe me. "When do you want me to heal you?" he asked.

I really don't know how I'm gonna fit that in. "I'll see if I can get away from Pasty and let you do it."

"It's not that simple," Nightwolf warned. "The process takes about a week, more or less. How will you find time for that?"

I shrugged. "Maybe I'll get lucky and Pasty will give me a mission. I don't know. I'll figure it out when I get there."

Nightwolf nodded and accepted my answer much more easily than I thought he would. I saw him place both hands down on either side of me, palms flat against the wooden table I was sitting on, and dip his head down. His face was so close to my own.

"Mileena," he breathed, "I know that your mind is made up, so I won't argue with you anymore. But please. At least come back to the village with me before you leave."

Whatever curt, mechanical reply I was about to give him about my revenge and about his village and about duty and about anything else was aborted as my brain took a dive into the lower region of my body, right down in that fiery pit below my abdomen.

All because he kissed me.

He had his hands over my knees and his hair tickled my cheeks as his mouth moved expertly over mine. He pulled back and murmured something to me but it took a few seconds for my brain to catch up to what he was saying.

"I don't want you to think I'm trying to hold you back. I just want to have you with me one last time before you go." He said, "Because what is coming might tear us apart for a very long time."

I understood completely. As it was, I was taking up a suicide mission and he was bracing himself for a vicious attack on himself and his homeland. Nothing was guaranteed to last now that this war was headed into full swing.

He had nothing but love for me in his gaze, and I wondered if it would always be that way with him. I wanted so badly to believe it would but I really wasn't sure. If I were to get my body back, things might not go so well between the two of us, and then that love might go away. I didn't want that to happen, but I need my _body_, my _powers_ to deal with Paste-Face.

"We need to reconvene with the others and let them know what you've heard." Nightwolf stated.

I pursed my lips and obstinately folded my arms. "Nightwolf, I meant what I said about your little friends. I don't get down with them."

He then said, "Well I'll tell them that you and I are going back to the village because that's where the sorcerer is headed, and we'll let them make their own decision about what to do based on that bit of information." he suggested.

I didn't want to have to tell the other members of the alliance anything at all, but Nightwolf's idea was a good one. They'll be more likely to believe him than me so I'll let him tell them about Pasty's plan to attack the village and then I'll go with him, just for one night though, and then I'll be off to the palace.

"Whatever," I muttered, which was my way of letting him know that I'd relented. He smiled an easy smile and gripped my hips in both hands.

"What are you?" I started to ask but it became obvious that he was lifting me off of the wooden table I'd been perched on. I wrapped my legs around his middle and my arms around his neck smirked.

"I could've gotten down myself," I stated.

He only smiled. When he turned around and loosened his grip I slid down his body. On the way down he kissed the top of my head. I kept my arms around him, and he didn't push me away. He rubbed my back until I was ready to go out and face the others. I didn't pull away until I'd gotten enough of his smoky, musky scent and warm, protective embrace. When I did step back from him I stood on the balls of my feet and pecked at his lips.

"Okay I'm ready," I said, and strode ahead of him with the glowing arrow in my sweaty-palmed grip.

I pretended I didn't care that he was gazing down at me in surprise, in wonderment. What I did was totally impulsive and it made me feel self-conscious and a little silly. He was always so confident and self-assured when he initiated any contact between us but I couldn't muster up that kind of boldness. Were the situation one that involved anything other than personal feelings, I would have no problem being bold and assertive but around Nightwolf I always felt so nervous and unsure.

He kept pace behind me and I dared not look back. I had to shield my eyes when I finally got to the entrance. Nightwolf had done the task of rounding up his comrades while I went ahead and exited the building. I watched the double doors and waited for him to emerge.

What was I gonna tell Pasty when I arrived there? He was probably gonna ask me about what happened since I was supposed to be with Rain, at the prison here at this lair. Maybe I'll just lie and say Rain ran off and I broke free to come and tell him. But if he already knows about Rain and me running off together that could tip him off. So maybe I should just be vague and say some things happened, but that I was on his side now. And what if Rain is already there and he tells Pasty that I'm there to kill him? Well then I'd have to either get rid of Rain, which was easier said than done, or form some kind of agreement with him that kept both of us from being suspected by Pasty. I groaned. I really didn't want to form another bond with that Edenian punk but I had a feeling that might be my only option. Oh well, I suppose I'll just have to play this mission by ear.

Nightwolf and crew were coming out of the building, and Sonya had some kind of device up to her ear. She said in a voice where I could hear some feet away that the pilot would be back soon. I hope 'soon' entailed a matter of minutes because I'm not trying to waste any time. She, Jax, Stryker, and Nightwolf came up to me.

"Alright, somebody tell me this wasn't a complete waste of time and that you guys found something." she mock-pleaded tiredly.

Stryker had switched off his flashlight and was wearing a tight-lipped frown. He wiped sweat off of his brow and scratched at the hair under his black cap. His answer was a definite no. Jax, beside him, was shaking his head, also a no.

She turned to me and Nightwolf. I crossed my arms and gave Nighty a pointed look.

"Quan Chi's armies are headed towards my village. He's searching for me, he knows I can reverse his technique." Nightwolf explained.

Sonya wasn't at all shocked. "I knew it was only a matter of time before he found out," she stated.

"So that's where we're going?" Stryker asked. The cop's question was directed at Sonya but it was Nightwolf who answered.

"It would be best if we plan our next move from there," he proclaimed.

Sonya nodded. "Is there any way you can contact Raiden and let him know where we're headed?"

Nightwolf nodded. "I'll do that now."

While Nightwolf began walking off to the side, Sonya eyed me up and asked, "Can I talk to you, Mileena?"

"I'm right here." I said shortly.

She cut her eyes and added, "In private?"

I shrugged and followed after her. Like Nightwolf, she was walking off in another direction from the group and behind a skeleton of what was once a huge beast with an even huger rib cage she stopped. She glanced over her shoulders at the two men who were fanning themselves and trying to keep cool. Nightwolf had seemingly disappeared. Sonya turned back around and sat cross-legged on the sandy ground. She motioned for me to do the same, and hesitantly I did.

After I'd folded my legs and placed my hands on my thighs she leveled me with a hard stare.

"So what's _really_ going on?" She asked.

I narrowed my eyes. "What are you talking about?"

She said, "Mileena, I can tell when something's up. Call it intuition or whatever, but I know there's something you and Nightwolf aren't saying."

I huffed and looked down. She dropped her head to try and capture my gaze again but I looked away.

"Mileena I know you don't trust me and I'm not sure I trust you either, but I need you to tell me what's going on. This is a global affair, it's not just about you and your revenge." she pressured sternly.

I suppose I did see her point. This is her world that's under attack, I shouldn't withhold information from her, especially information of this caliber. I decided to work with her.

"Pasty's moved his location to the main palace in Outworld." I told her.

She paused, "The one where the tournaments were held around?"

I nodded. "That's where I'm going."

She rose a blonde brow but didn't remark. "When are you leaving?"

"After we get to the village." I answered.

She bit the inside of her cheek and thought. "And Nightwolf knows about this?"

"More or less," I replied.

"So you're gonna infiltrate the palace and spy on Quan Chi?" she asked.

"More or less," I repeated.

She frowned, "I assume you want to do this alone, right?"

"Correct." I smirked.

"Mileena, that might not be wise. You should think about letting the rest of us help you." She advised.

I didn't think so. "I'll be fine, I don't need help. I know what I'm doing."

"That may be true, but you can't trust or predict a sorcerer. They lie and they scheme and they're always a step ahead." she told me. "You need to have somebody on your side out there."

I saw the wisdom in what she was saying. But I don't want to saddle myself down with these people when I knew I could do just fine on my own. Still, it might be good to have backup. I didn't want to admit it, but this human body of mine had its drawbacks and if I got stuck in a tight place it would feel good knowing somebody had my back. But who would? These people didn't trust me, and they had good reason not to. But we're in a war, so maybe they'll put that behind them. I'm taking one risk going in there with Pasty and perhaps Rain, so why not take another?

"Okay. I'll, um, let you help me." I relented. "But _only _you."

"Alright." Sonya conceded. She said, "I'll need to be able to keep in touch with you while you're at the palace. Here's my communicator."

She handed me some kind of tiny device that I'd seen her talking into previous occasions. I didn't know what to do with it and looked up at her, confused. She took my hand into her lap and strapped the black and gray thing onto my wrist. She showed me which tiny little button to press to be able to speak with her.

"If it starts blinking red that means I'm trying to get a'hold of you." She explained.

I nodded and tapped at the glass surface. It looked shiny and durable and high-techie. I just hope I remember how to operate it. I wouldn't want it malfunctioning with Paste-Face around. I glanced at Sonya and saw her tapping her chin.

"Now I'll need you to keep me updated. Report back to me every single day that you're there, got it?" She ordered.

I mock-saluted, "Ma'am yes ma'am. Anything else?"

"Mileena, this is serious business. Since you insist on going in there alone, I have to know everything that's going on. I wish I had a camera or some kind of tracking device," she murmured to herself.

"Oh, well, that'll come later." she dismissed. "How do you plan on getting to the palace?"

I shrugged. I didn't have a ride, as of yet. Sonya again tapped at her chin. She was thinking hard. Finally she placed both hands on the sand and pushed her body up to a standing position. She reached down and stuck her hand out at me but I ignored it and stood on my own. She shrugged and used her proffered hand to wipe the sand from her shorts and I did the same.

"I can try and get a chopper to take you," she said, "But the soonest that can be is tomorrow morning. Is that okay?"

"It's gonna have to be," I told her, "I've got no other option so I can't be too picky."

She nodded again and let a little ghost of a smile pass over her lightly-tanned features. She was blinking slowly at me and I wondered what was so funny.

"What?" I asked her.

She shook her head and sighed, "Nothing. I'm just glad we finally got a lead, that's all. This plan of yours may not be the best one, but it's not...that bad. And I'm glad you're letting me help you." she admitted.

I refused to tell her that I kinda felt the same, that I was glad that she _wanted_ to help me. I had no problem doing things on my own, but now that I had Nightwolf with me I was slowly realizing I didn't have to. Even Sonya, who I _still _do not fully trust, might turn out to be someone I can later depend on.

* * *

"How do you plan on tracking him down? Don't tell me we'll have to wander around aimlessly across all of Brittany," The wraith jeered.

He knew Ermac better than that, he was just trying to lighten the mood. It tended to get extremely heavy when one was traveling on a manhunt, and even Noob couldn't stand _that_ much gloom in one sitting.

Ermac replied, "We need only pick up on Rain's thoughts to tell where he is; they happen to be the loudest we've ever heard." they sighed. That was a good and bad thing.

Noob was intrigued, "Since when have you been able to detect another's thoughts?"

"Since very recently," They responded ambiguously.

Both host and wraith traveled with their boots thudding down onto the dirt trail below them. The hoods they donned were a bit suspicious, so they had stuck to trekking through the backwoods for now. Unbeknownst to them, a certain demigod was not too far away.

From another 'horrid' dream Rain had awoken later on the same day he had experienced the first. He didn't know if it was still Ermac tormenting him from afar or if it was the chicken and dumplings the mortal woman had served him not too long ago, but something was causing those wretched nightmares and it was knocking him off his game. He couldn't concentrate, so he had decided to take a refreshing walk to clear his mind.

His body had outdone itself; only 30 hours later and he was as good as new. His ribs were completely intact and his muscles free of strain. He had just made it out onto the trail some yards away from the woman's little hovel when he heard voices, and footsteps. No sooner had he detected these things did he come face to masked face with Ermac. And Noob.

The three stood there unblinking and mildly surprised at seeing each other. Noob was the first to speak after he'd cleared his throat.

"Well this is a fortuitous turn of events." he remarked, "...for us."

Rain began to panic. Ermac he was prepared for, but both Ermac _and _Noob? That was pushing it. He didn't have time to waste fighting such a dangerous battle that he wasn't sure he'd make it out alive from, so his plans were to flee. He'd face his ex-partner another day, when he wasn't so out-matched. But before he did, there was one thing he had to ask.

"Why?" he demanded of Ermac. Mistake number one. He should've just gotten out of there, because now he was hovering upside down a few feet in the air.

If they wanted to, Ermac could rip him apart piece by piece. That was a terrifying thought, even for the cocky demigod. But Rain held his glare and fought against the telepathy, useless as it was to do so.

Ermac was feeling particularly curious this afternoon, though, and decided to humor their former partner. Rain's death was obviously imminent, so what was the harm in doing so? They stepped back but kept the Edenian suspended in mid-air.

"Why what?" They asked.

Rain gnashed his teeth and continued to struggle, "Why have you been plaguing me with those nightmares?"

If Ermac could have shown on their face the utter confusion at what Rain had just asked, they would have.

"**What are you blathering about?**" they sneered.

Noob picked at his suit, "He's probably stalling. Just kill him already."

The wraith had better things to do. He didn't fully understand why Ermac needed him there, anyway. It looked like the host had it all under control.

Ermac stayed their hand, though; if Rain was accusing them of something, they wanted to know what it was. Silently they probed the Edenian's mind and were startled at what they found at the forefront of the demigod's psyche.

"This? **_This_ is what you are accusing us of?" **The host nearly sputtered. They couldn't decide if they were more disgusted or amused at what had been 'plaguing' the demigod as of late.

Rain plummeted to the ground as Ermac lost focus for a moment. However, Ermac didn't hoist him back in the air. They advanced upon the fallen Edenian with a disembodied and contemptuous laugh.

Noob's interest was whetted, "What is it?" he wanted to know.

Ermac turned to him and they stared at one another for a moment. Rain's stomach was next to drop as he picked himself up off the ground. If Ermac wasn't verbally explaining what he saw, then they must have been _showing_ Noob his dream.

_The gods, _Rain thought, _must surely despise me._

Noob crossed his arms, "Well that certainly was...vivid."

"Indeed." Ermac remarked.

"I don't blame him, though," Noob elucidated, "Mileena is quite the vixen."

Ermac nodded and spoke to Rain, "It makes us wonder: **would she appreciate these little fantasies of yours?**"

Rain's face flared in both embarrassment and, for once, shame; shame at having been seen so intimately with _Mileena _of all creatures.

"They aren't fantasies! They're nightmares! And you're the one who sent them," he accused.

Ermac closed their eyes, "**Rain**. Don't try to blame your overactive imagination on us; **we had nothing to do with your wet dreams.**"

Noob chuckled dryly, "Perhaps you should let Mileena know how you _really_ feel about her."

Angered beyond belief Rain charged at his opponents and lost sight of his goals in the heat of his fury. He tackled Ermac to the ground but the host forcefully kicked the demigod in the chest, knocking him off of them.

Rain was about to retaliate but thought better of it. He shot his hands downward and sank through the ground, disappearing with nothing but mud to show for his absence. He ended up on the other side of Outworld, in the desert near Quan Chi's lair. He rolled over onto his side and coughed excess dirt and water out of his mouth and tried to catch his breath.

He had to get away, he'd almost forgotten about his plans steal the emperor's amulet. Ermac and Noob had just infuriated him so badly with what they were implying about him and Mileena. It wasn't true at all, it was ridiculous. He harbored nothing but hatred, or if not that than indifference towards the half-breed wench. Nothing remotely close to what he was experiencing in those dreams was true.

But if Ermac hadn't sent those dreams, why was he having them? And why did they feel so real? It wasn't a modest number, the amount of women Rain had shared his bed with, so he could see how his mind could have filled in the details, but why Mileena? He had no answer for himself. And to make matters worse, Ermac and Noob both knew about the dreams. They'd never let him live this down. _All the more reason for them to die once I have that amulet in my grasp, _the demigod thought heatedly.

Meanwhile in Brittany, Ermac was aggravated to the core. They berated themselves for letting the Edenian get away. If only they had killed the rotten punk when they had the chance. Now they had to track him down all over again, and this time they had no idea where he was going. Oh, they had a few guesses, but nothing definite. _Why, why, why didn't they just rip the fucker apart when they had the chance,_ they thought bitterly.

Noob, however, was highly intrigued by the situation.

It amused the wraith to no end, the thoughts Ermac had bombarded him with a few moments ago. That certainly was an interesting position for the demigod to be in if he claimed he hated his temporary partner so much; maybe the prince had mixed feelings for Mileena and this was his subconscious' way of expression some of those emotions. He wanted to be around for when Mileena found out about this other side of Rain; it would make for some guaranteed entertainment.

* * *

3000 Koins; he was roughly 200 Koins shy of being able to afford the LTZ-45 cable bundle. The set included the rest of the advanced wiring he needed to complete his project. Were he to buy each and every one of them separately, the total would cost nearly a quarter of a million Koins. With the exchange rate for Earthrealm currency so high and the amount of retailers who still accepted Koins quickly diminishing by the century, things were getting more and more expensive. Working as a rogue mercenary had its perks, particularly the generous payroll. It was something, among other things, Scorpion missed about being on the job. Not only did it pay a hell of a lot better than the riot control he had to put up with now, his old employers never took him for granted as much as the wraith seemed to.

Scorpion dropped his pencil and calculator and closed his spiral notebook. He was analyzing the figures again and it always ended up with him feeling incredibly frustrated. He never seemed to have enough money. Whenever he got enough for one thing, something on his project would malfunction or break or otherwise screw up and then he'd have to go and buy something else. This was burning a hole in his pockets and ruining his partnership with the wraith; more than once Noob threatened to find less expensive help when Scorpion yet again asked for a raise in payment.

The spectre ran his hand over his masked face and sighed. He would have to see this project through, though. He started it, and he was gonna finish it. _It _was an operation, of sorts. He'd been wandering Japan near the deserted Shirai Ryu lands when something caught his glowing white eye. It was the automated Lin Kuei assassin, or one of them at least, lying in a charred mess. He wasn't surprised that the robot had met such a fiery end, these lands weren't completely deserted, after all. Scorpion had been responsible for resurrecting members of his fallen brethren and was in the process of garnering all of his fellow Hellspawn together, and forming an army of them. As it was, they were scattered, and he had to collect them. Any one of them may have been responsible for murdering the robot that lay charred at his feet, and Scorpion didn't know what compelled him to do it but he examined the dark-colored cyborg and found that, with a few repairs and tweaks here and there, the machine could be re-wired and ready to go in no time.

But he had been wrong, it was taking plenty of time. And money, too. He was running out of both. It was getting near the hour to exact his revenge on the sorcerer and he wasn't ready yet. Of course he had since then managed to get his undead army under one 'roof' and was training them under his own command, but the robot that he was working on still had some finishing touches to be done on it, namely a new paint job and the last bit of internal hardware. Which brought him to his current problem. The spectre was running out of money and the last component he required was too expensive for him to afford right now.

_And the damn store doesn't offer layaway plans_, he grumbled to himself. He didn't want to have to resort to stealing, but he had very little options left. He needed those parts and quickly. It was bad enough he was using Mileena to buy him some time. He only gave her the information because he knew if Mileena could stall the sorcerer, he'd have a little more time to finish his project and then use his army to get his revenge. Mileena may crave revenge as well, but she'd never taste it if he could help it.

Scorpion leaned against one of his cave walls. This cave proved to be an efficient lair for him and his army. It was located off the map, in a place no one would suspect him of being. It gave him plenty of time to work alone and unhindered. His project lay lifeless on a large slab of rock that served as his operating table for the time being. Other than that 'table' in one corner of the cave, an unneeded fireplace in the center, and a whole lot of space in between, it was empty. There were plenty of other caves, the side of the mountain was lined with them, and that was where Scorpion was housing his army for the time being.

A spark of electricity twitched through the spectre's creation but it didn't move otherwise. Without that crucial internal wiring, that's just the way the cyborg would stay. Scorpion made up his mind and rolled his neck and pushed himself off the cave wall.

It was time for a heist.

* * *

**A/N: So Ermac and Noob are after Rain. Mileena and Sonya are going covert-mode to the palace. Nightwolf and Co. are holding down the fort, er, village. And Scorpion is going broke trying to bring a mystery someone back to life who was once an enemy assassin. Sounds about right. **

**In the next chapter: A little perspective from Raiden and friends, Mileena and Nightwolf spend their last day together, the Shaolin monk gets tongue-tied, and much, much, more! Just stay tuned, kay? **

**Until next time...**

**~DymondGold~**


	26. Disappointed

**A/N: I apologize for the wait; this is getting to be a bit routine unfortunately. But I've fallen off track with the storm just ending. Anyway, enjoy this latest installment, as usual. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own MK or any of its characters/themes/settings; All credit goes to Ed Boon and his friends at Netherealm Studios.**

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Six**

* * *

It was making practically no sound, the steady tapping of her finger against the black silk material she donned over her crossed legs, so in order for the monk to notice that she'd been drumming away for the last five minutes, he had to have been watching her. And he had been.

Covering her pale, active hand with one of his own he caught her attention and gave her a smile. She could only twist her lips weakly in response.

Kitana had too much to think about. She was running over the details of her confrontation with the demigod last night and bitterly her defeat replayed in her head. Next time she encountered the lowly, disrespectful bane things would go differently. She was certain of it. But Rain was not the only thing on her mind. She was worried about Mileena. It was a lie for her to say she cared not for her twin. While Rain was a subject of extreme frustration, Mileena was one of curiosity and intrigue for her. Ever since Kitana first discovered her able-bodied clone in the dark mage's flesh pits, her interest in her 'sister' was aroused. She'd fought Mileena and initially despised her clone, but over time the princess realized that Mileena's actions were heavily influenced by her step-father Kahn and her violent scientific programming. She was created as a weapon, a mindless tool, but now Kitana could see that Mileena was becoming more of her own woman and was gaining a whole new personality from the one the princess was used to seeing. And then there was the whole thing with Nightwolf.

Now _that_ was strange. It was obvious there was something going on from what Nightwolf had admitted to last night. Mileena was with him, in his _room_. That could mean a number of things, but Kitana was leaning towards the 'love' theory. It was something to look forward to, for Mileena. If she could find someone who loved and cared about her, then she would be well on the way to changing allegiances from the side of darkness to good, seeing as Nightwolf was a pretty pure guy.

Speaking of love, though, she was in deep herself. When she had heard that Liu Kang was dead, she had been devastated and had nearly broken her vow of never showing weak emotions in the presence of the new emperor. But it had been hard to hold it together when Quan Chi had confronted her and told her the horrific news of the monk's tragic murder by the sorcerer's own hand. Now that she could see Liu Kang was alive and very well, she felt as if she could function again. It was dangerous, her love for Liu. It affected her in ways she couldn't control and with the war going on, she could end up doing some pretty crazy things in the name of love.

She glanced over at the dark-haired young warrior and sighed, happily this time. He was alive, they were both okay, that's all that should matter right now. But she couldn't shake the stress from her body if she tried.

"Hey, Kitana, are you still upset about what happened yesterday?" Jade asked. She was in her cloak as well and was sitting in a cold metal chair next to her friend.

Kitana shook her head and said, "No, I'm fine now."

Liu Kang was on her other side, with Kung Lao next to him. The four sat patiently in the lobby area of the OIA facility. It was Raiden's idea to come here as soon as possible seeing as the group had no lead whatsoever on finding Ermac. The other four weren't OIA personnel or in Raiden's case, a god, so they were ordered to stay in the waiting room until the officials finished scanning the near and far vicinity for any telltale Outworld malevolent activity.

It had been hours since they first got to this place and Kitana was starving. She hadn't eaten breakfast and her rumbling stomach was proof of this. In the empty lobby, the noise echoed off each of the building's white walls. She blushed mildly and crossed her arms over her stomach.

Kung Lao chuckled and remarked, "Glad to know I'm not the only one who's famished."

"You didn't eat anything either?" Liu Kang asked of his best friend. They shared a rueful smile.

Jade stood slowly and stretched one arm over her head. She rolled her neck and rubbed at her shoulder blades. She glanced back at the closed double doors and pursed her lips.

"I don't think we'll be missed for a few minutes to an hour." she claimed.

She turned to her princess and asked, "Would you like to go and get something to eat?"

Kitana nodded. "That does sound like a good idea." She stood as well.

Kung Lao and Liu Kang led the way out of the main doors. "I could eat a horse right about now," the elder of the two laughed.

Both monks stepped out of the building and blinked in the afternoon sunlight. The sidewalks were packed, the cars were rushing by, and the foggy smog was in the air. It was almost a normal day here in New York. If you discounted the bricks and rubble and mortar lying around from the recent otherworldly attacks.

"I remember some parts of this city." Liu Kang said, looking around the busy street. He took one of Kitana's hands with an easy smile.

"Follow me." he instructed.

He gripped Kitana's soft, warm hand in his and hummed to himself. It was a smooth move he had gotten from Kung Lao, taking hold of Kitana's hand like that. He really had no idea where he was going, but the others didn't need to know that.

Kitana was beating down the butterflies in her stomach and was just itching to wipe her hand on her cloak. She was sure it was clammy and sweaty and wish she had been prepared for Liu Kang's bold move. She bit the edge of her lip and kept the pace with the monk. Behind her Jade was curious as to how the monk was handling her liege and Kung Lao had yet to notice a thing.

It was just his luck that Liu happened upon a sandwich shop not too far down the strip of stores and other buildings. There were delicious scents wafting out and Liu Kang's stomach was the next one to growl in anticipation. He patted his pockets and came up empty. Hopefully Kung Lao had money. One glance back in the hat-clad monk's direction was all it took for the message to be conveyed. With a wink Kung Lao smiled and nodded and Liu Kang sighed. He could count on his best friend to come through.

The four entered the casual restaurant and were bathed in slight darkness. There was a bar located to the immediate right and several tables were already full. Liu Kang had yet to release Kitana's hand and he confidently led his team to the front counter where the waiter would seat them.

The waiter did a head count of their party and led them to an empty table in the back of the shop, near a large window. Kung Lao and Liu took a seat next to each other with the Edenian women sitting across from them. Ordering was simple, they all chose something that sounded plain, and in no time the food was brought out to them. It smelled incredible.

Kung Lao wasted no time sectioning off his large sandwich and eating neatly, efficiently; if there was a such thing as an efficient way to eat. Jade took cues from him and ate in a similar manner. She had never tasted meats quite like the one featured in her meal, but she found she enjoyed the crisp, salty taste of it all.

Kitana took her time trying to break into her sandwich. She didn't want to just tear into it like Kung Lao had. With Liu Kang watching her, eating was a self-conscious task. As it was, the contents of her meal were in jeopardy of falling out between the two slices of bread her fingers were gripping uncertainly. How did one eat this concoction properly? She was having trouble.

Liu Kang was halfway finished when he noticed Kitana's mildly distressed expression. She had hardly touched her food. He began to worry; did he pick the right place? Maybe she didn't like sandwiches. Here he was, eating and enjoying himself without even thinking to ask if this was alright with her. They had ordered in a rush of a manner, everybody picking the same thing. She was Edenian, and had lived in Outworld: how could he have expected her to have the same tastes as he? Even though her bodyguard seemed to like it, that didn't mean Kitana did.

Liu Kang placed his hands down and asked, "If you don't like it, we can go somewhere else. I should've asked before, I forgot you weren't from here." he rambled.

Kitana blinked and unhanded her food. "No, no!" she cried. "It's fine, I just. I was...I." she stammered.

Where was her mind, for goodness sakes? It was as if she just forgot how to make thoughts into coherent sentences for a few seconds. Liu Kang tilted his head and smiled unsurely at the princess. She wanted to undo the last few moments of her life and start this all over. Then she would come in and just eat her meal like a normal person, like everyone else.

"Is that...who I think it is?" Jade said around a mouthful of food. She swallowed hard and sported a weirded-out expression.

Kitana looked up from the bowels of her embarrassment and glanced out the window where her friend's gaze was directed. It was not her but Kung Lao who spoke next.

"It is. No mistaking him." the Shaolin declared. He arose quickly and his team followed him to the front desk. Not knowing what to do, Kung Lao merely laid his money, a handful of US bills, down on the counter and told the waiters to 'keep the change'.

"What is he doing here?" Liu Kang asked as the group began power-walking down the sidewalk.

Kung Lao shrugged, "Guess we're about to find out."

The figure in question was a couple of blocks away, oblivious to the gang of do-gooders hot on his trail. They caught up to him just as he was walking into an electronics and hardware store. This really threw the group off. They had never known to associate this particular spectre with a mainstream technology store.

When they reached the store Liu Kang eyed a bright, neon-colored sign posted on one of the windows. It said, boldly, _Koins Accepted. _Jade and Kitana shared a look of surprise. Now that was a rare sight. Liu and Kung Lao didn't understand the significance, and even went so far as to think the manager here had made an uncommon spelling error. All of the four entered the small store and immediately noticed the yellow-clad figure near the back. He stood out fairly well against the black and grey parts and appliances that the store offered.

Kung Lao bravely approached the spectre and cleared his throat nervously. He was prepared for a fight at the very worst, but hoped it wouldn't come to that. The spectre stopped appraising a bundle of wires and cables that was on the clearance shelf and gazed soullessly at the newcomer. Seeing those fiery, white-hot orbs stopped Kung Lao in his tracks and for a moment no words were forthcoming. The spectre shook his head and went back to inspecting the wires.

"Scorpion, we'd like to know what you're doing here," Kung Lao said firmly once those blank white eyes were off of him.

Scorpion sighed but didn't look up from the pricey accessories. He picked up two seemingly identical plastic cases full of tangles of wiring and examined both, looking from one hand to the other.

Kung Lao looked to his group and they all wore confused faces. Scorpion was outright ignoring him. Did that mean he was up to no good? It looked like he was just shopping. But why would he be shopping in a tech store of all places?

Kitana sidled up to Kung Lao and asked, "Scorpion, you wouldn't happen to know anything about the demigod Rain, or about the host Ermac, or Quan Ch-"

Scorpion placed a sizzling hot finger on the princess' full lips and she immediately stopped speaking. Stopped breathing, more like it. She remembered things about Scorpion from when he used to work under the emperor and they weren't good things. She was fearing for her well-being right about then.

But all Scorpion did was drag his gloved finger down her lips and chin and with a frustrated sigh said, "Enough."

He gathered one of the plastic cases in one hand and walked past the group. He wasn't heading towards the front counter, but towards the door. The cashier must've noticed this as well because he came from around the corner and hustled towards Scorpion.

"Sir, you have to pay for that!" he demanded. He, in his bright red polo and black slacks, had nothing on the 6 foot broadly-built ninja. Still, the man tried to take the case of wires from Scorpion by force; bad idea.

Scorpion gripped the case tightly in one hand and with the other he wrapped his fingers around the man's throat painfully. His fingers weren't smoking, so he wasn't aiming to kill. Even though the rest of the group slipped into offensive positions, preparing to defend the mortal, Kitana stood still. She knew that people did things for a reason; especially Scorpion. He was an assassin, but he did not senselessly kill. There had to be a reason he was stealing that...whatever it was in his hands. Kitana thought to herself for a moment.

The man sputtered and gasped in Scorpion's grip before the spectre tossed him only a couple of feet away. That was another clue for Kitana; he was going easy on this man. Why? She had to have answers. As the two monks hurried over to the choking clerk, Kitana rushed to the entrance door where Scorpion was sauntering away. She thanked the gods he hadn't decided to just teleport away. She ignored Jade's calling after her and grabbed at the warm, beefy arm before its owner could slip away. Scorpion halted on the sidewalk.

He gazed down at her and she swallowed thickly. He glared at the dainty hand that was snagged in the junction of his forearm and biceps and she gingerly removed it before he incinerated it away with his harsh stare. Little did she know his gaze was anything but malicious, but because of the whiteness of his eyes, his emotions often went misinterpreted by others. In truth, Scorpion was quite curious to know what had made the princess approach him. Twice. He was in a bit of a rush, he was excited, dare he say, to get back to the caves and finish his project now that he had 'obtained' the necessary parts. But he found that he could spare the time to humor the woman since she had the gall to come up to him the way that she did.

Kitana was on edge as she repeated an abridged version of her earlier inquiry, "Scorpion, you wouldn't happen to have any information on the emperor or his cohorts?" she added.

Scorpion tilted his head back and stared up at the sky. "I do, but I don't believe I should tell you."

"Please," Kitana stated solidly; it hardly sounded as if she were begging.

"What do you wish to know?" he asked shortly. The plastic was beginning to melt under his fingertips.

Kitana again bit her lip while Scorpion's patience dwindled fast. "Where is Quan Chi?"

"At the main palace." he answered quickly. He turned around and began to step in the opposite direction.

"Wait!" Kitana called, grabbing at his spiked armor.

In an instant he had seized her wrist. "That was excusable the first time. Don't do it again." he warned.

Kitana could feel the heat from the pad of his thumb as it traced over one of her veins before he dropped her hand back down by her side. She ran her cool fingertips over the spot and nodded. So it was _not _okay to invade Scorpion's personal space. Lesson learned.

"Can you tell me where Rain is?" she asked rapidly.

Scorpion was already walking off again but he called over his shoulder, "Wherever the emperor is, he'll be there." then the spectre dove through a fiery hole in the ground that disappeared just after it had swallowed him up.

Kitana sighed. Jade had been listening as well, she had exited the store to see what was going on. She, too, heard that Rain would be near the emperor, but she hadn't been able to catch where the emperor was at the moment. She looked over Kitana.

"Are you alright? What did he say?" she asked.

Kitana saw the rest of her team coming out of the store and she frowned. Liu Kang came over to her and searched both ways for the spectre. He deduced that the guy was gone.

"Scorpion said the emperor is at the main palace, and that Rain will be there also." Kitana informed them. She saw them take the information in.

Jade said, "Do you think we can trust Scorpion? How do we know his information isn't inaccurate, or outdated, or lies?"

"I don't think he's lying," Kitana stated, "And even if it does prove to be false information, it's still information regardless. It'll be our first lead all day." she reasoned.

Liu Kang said, "What about Ermac? Did Scorpion say anything about him?"

Kitana shook her head and looked down the sidewalk where the spectre had gotten away. There was not a trace of the fire or ashes that had welcomed his escape.

As if on cue, lightening and thunder heralded the sudden appearance of their mentor and leader, Raiden. He eyed each and every one of his team members to see if they were intact and then nodded curtly to himself.

"Raiden, what news do you bring?" Kung Lao asked eagerly. With all the time he spent in the OIA building, the god had to have found out _something_, right?

Raiden reported, "There have been distress calls to the headquarters from a region in western Europe that may indicate the presence of either Ermac or Rain."

Kitana frowned, "Western Europe? Is that far from here?"

She couldn't recall the exact distances since Earthrealm was always changing every time she visited.

"It's pretty far." Liu Kang answered.

He vaguely remembered that it would take several hours for them to reach the continent from here. Europe was on the other side of the world. Unless Raiden planned on teleporting them all there, they'd need to book a flight, and quick. Targets didn't tend to stay in one place for too long.

"We ran into Scorpion just now," Jade informed the elder, "he told Kitana that the demigod is with the emperor, at the main palace in Outworld."

Raiden rose a brow and said, "That's certainly interesting."

Kung Lao inquired, "Are we going to track down the emperor now?"

"It would save us some work." Jade commented. "But if we go after the emperor, the lands in Western Europe will go unchecked." she pointed out.

Raiden said, "We'll have to split up again. Two of you will head to the palace, and the other two will investigate the origin of the distress calls." he instructed.

"What will you do?" Kung Lao wanted to know.

The thunder god replied, "I was in communion with Nightwolf; he believes that an attack on his village is imminent so I'll have to go to him and be of some aid in case Quan Chi does send his armies there." he explained.

Kitana and Liu Kang shared a glance and when the monk suggested they be paired together she felt a little jolt shoot through her stomach. Skillfully she masked the knotting in her stomach with a cool nod of agreement. Kung Lao didn't seem to mind, but Jade had to ask her friend if she was really okay with the arrangement. Kitana assured her that she was alright with it, knowing in her heart that she was more than just _alright_. She was thrilled.

* * *

It was just before sunset when we landed over the dirt ground of northeast Arizona. The chopper hovered over the ground and let its propellers continue to beat at the wind around us as our crew unloaded from the vehicle. Sonya leapt down and her partner landed with a heavy thud that kicked up the dust from the ground beneath his feet. Stryker hopped down next, and I was about to jump down as well but Nightwolf gripped my waist and helped me down himself. He kept hold of my hand even after we were both on our feet.

"Alright Chief," Sonya said as she brushed at her shorts, "Lead the way."

She noticed that Nightwolf had his hand laced in mine and she stared for a second, but she didn't say anything about it. The two other men with us were oblivious to what was going on. We all followed the shaman as he silently led us to his home. He didn't look very happy to be coming back, quite the opposite actually. I suppose I have a lot to do with that. I wish he wouldn't look so depressed because it was starting to get to me. Well he didn't really look depressed, just kind of. Low. Like he wasn't really feeling it: the plan about me leaving on my own, that is. And I knew he wasn't. But I have to get to that palace and handle business.

I didn't know what to do to make that gloomy aura go away, mainly because I was the cause of it, indirectly.

I tugged on Nightwolf's hand and tried to smile at him. It was hard because I wasn't in the mood. I was hot and hungry as hell, and I had a cramp from sitting on my ass for too long in the machine. But for Nightwolf I tried my best. When he looked down to acknowledge me I hunched my shoulders and forced a crooked, uncertain smile to my lips.

It only seemed to make things worse.

Yeah, he smiled back, but it didn't quite embody the warm and fuzzy feeling of a mood getting lifted. When he looked back ahead his grip on my hand was tighter and his eyes were more melancholic than before. So ix nay on the smiling. I was at a loss, now. I frowned and drummed my fingers on the backs of his knuckles and thought hard. Still I came up with nothing.

As soon as we got to the outskirts it really hit me how that one attack had changed the whole atmosphere here. The people weren't devastated or miserable or grieve-y or sad, per say. They were just...on guard. Alert and ready. It was in the way that they walked and talked this evening especially. They were moving quickly, closing things and settling down but the idle talk that they engaged in for the night was anything but light. I could tell from their hardened expressions and tense movements alone, since I couldn't understand a word they were saying.

I glanced up at Nightwolf as we passed his people and I could see that he sensed it, too. At least they were perking up once they saw that their chief was back, that was a good thing. I was getting some looks as well. Neither good nor bad.

Some old men, who were decorated in all kinds of headdresses and regalia, came up to Nightwolf and surrounded him. They began talking to him in grave tones, and with a heavy sigh Nightwolf began to respond to them in a similar dialect. After a few words were exchanged the shaman turned to me.

"Mileena, I have to go to a. Meeting." he told me difficultly.

I eyed the old men who were obviously important, "A meeting? You just got back. Can't it wait 'til tomorrow?"

His grim, wry smile let me know it couldn't. "You can come with me."

I pondered the idea of having to sit still in a cramped tent, having to listen to these monotonous voices drone on for gods know how long when I was already tired and grimaced. Didn't sound too good.

"No, that's alright." I declined.

Nightwolf murmured, "I'm sorry about this, love,"

"Whatever," I shrugged and mumbled, "Nothing to be sorry about. It's just a meeting. I'll see you later."

My words were stated nonchalantly and were meant to mask the disappointment that was dragging me down. It hurt my-what are they? Feelings. Those. It hurt my feelings not to be able to spend every moment I could with Nightwolf knowing I'd be leaving tomorrow. It really hurt, and it made me angry, no, frustrated. Frustrated because these foggy old men were taking up my time with the shaman. They could talk to him anytime they wanted but I only had a few hours. It wasn't fair, it made me want to pout and cry. But since I wasn't a crier, I balled my fists behind my back, bit the side of my tongue, and instead of telling the men off I settled for glaring at each and every one of them before looking down and away angrily.

"Just go ahead," I muttered.

Nightwolf rubbed the top of my shoulders and drew me near him, then kissed me in the middle of the village square. He surprised me and apparently the old men, too. I had no way to stop the light, gravity-defying feeling that overtook my stomach; it was like being in that elevator-machine at the hotel all over again. He didn't kiss me for long, and when he pulled back he stroked my arms and laid one on my forehead as well.

"I'll try not to be too long," he promised softly.

"Uh-huh." I responded absently. It felt like the ground had given way beneath my feet, like I was lighter than air and was floating. I stared hazily at his retreating back and waited for the feeling to wear off.

When I couldn't see him anymore I turned round and saw that Sonya, Stryker, and Jax were still here. If the two men hadn't noticed anything before, that last stunt Nightwolf pulled was a pretty good indication of what was going on between the shaman and me.

Sonya's expression was hard to decipher, I couldn't tell what she was thinking. Her partner looked worried, and the cop seemed impressed.

"We'd better get to his hut and call it a night." Sonya stated, once again taking the lead. As she passed me she whispered, "Tomorrow morning, alright?"

I nodded and tapped at the black communication device on my wrist. Sonya and I would be something like partners after tonight. Long distance partners. I wonder how this will work out.

_It'll be the death of you, _the voice predicted.

_We'll see, _I thought back to it.

Sonya was still taking us to Nightwolf's hut with her gaze straight ahead so she didn't notice when I had stopped and fell behind. I let them go on, because someone special had caught my eye. With only one of their own. I smirked and called out to the person who was a few feet away. They acknowledged me with a nod, and I headed right over.

"Long time no see," I greeted the blonde.

He was alone, standing off to the side with some parchment in his hands. He had on his armor, those light metal plates on his shoulders with the straps across his chest and back, and I could see the bulge of other weapons in the pockets of his brown breeches. It looked like he had lost some weight and color. If he wasn't careful, he'd end up looking like another immortal I'm not too fond of.

"You have returned," he replied. He appraised me and said, "It would seem not much has changed since I last saw you."

I was about to retort but he leaned forward and pulled down the hem of my white tank top. His fingers were icy cold as they ghosted over my stomach and I shivered and backed away.

"You're neither a whore nor a harlot," he drawled, "yet you insist on dressing as one."

I rolled my eyes, "Was that some kind of veiled compliment?"

"Don't read too much into it," he advised with a raised brow.

I looked him over and saw that his thick, dirty blonde hair had gotten longer and the whole, slanted blindfold thing was actually working for him. His nose had healed neatly, unfortunately, so he had his good looks back. I'd meant to do him a disservice but I had only given him an edge. The Prick was still handsome; damn, why was it always the assholes who got the good looks? Well, not all of the cute ones were bad, like my little friend, for instance.

"Where's Elan?" I asked suddenly.

"He's down by the lake. Purging himself of his imagined sins." the General answered slowly.

I frowned. "He's okay though, isn't he?"

Tvari cut his eyes to the wind and said idly, "Now how should _I_ know when I am here and he is there?"

I took this to mean the kid was fine. I knew the prick well enough to know that if something _was _wrong with Elan, he wouldn't be so cryptic about it.

The General then asked, "Why have you come back?"

I crossed my arms and told him, "Night-Light talked me into spending the night here. I'm leaving tomorrow morning."

"Nightwolf has returned?" Tvari asked.

I nodded. "Yeah. He's the one who brought me here; I just said that."

I could see that the prick was less than thrilled about this bit of news, and I smirked. It had been a while since I was able to mess with him. I unfolded my arms and placed my hands on my hips. He could sense that there was a sudden change in my demeanor and that it didn't exactly bode well for him.

Conspiratorially I advised, "If I were you, I'd stay away from Nightwolf, at least for a while. He's really mad about what you did to me back then."

"I see." he sniffed disinterestedly.

His body betrayed him; he had paled and stiffened. I stifled a laugh at his obvious discomfort. His fingers were clenched tightly around the folded parchment in his hand and he looked about ready to turn to stone. He kept his eye narrowed, though, in some show of indifference but his apprehension was very clear to me.

"Maybe if you decide to be a bit nicer to me while I'm here, I could ask the chief to go easy on you," I cajoled.

The General gave me a flat look as if to say, 'no chance' before shaking his head and walking away. He brushed past me, but I didn't feel any animosity in that bit of contact our shoulders shared in. _So he didn't completely hate me_.

My body was still sluggish with disappointment and a little rigged with anxiety. I was glad to be able to see Elan again, but I didn't know what to expect. I didn't know what he thought of me now: did he even want to see me? Guess I'll find out when I get to the lake.

* * *

**A/N: kind of short, kind of _meh,_ this chapter. Not much happened. The next one will be full of...ROMANCE!1!one! That's right. It'll range from a fluffy little scene with the princess and the monk to some special, grownup adventures with our star couple. Stay tuned!**

**Oh, and I'm going to be bringing in more characters from the MK-Universe; that's okay with everyone, right? There's a bit of a crowded cast in this story. **

**There is a convenient little thing at the bottom of the page that's a catalyst for quicker updates and a key to ultimate author happiness; yes, I'm talking about the review box: please be so kind as to use it, people :D**


	27. Devoured

**Disclaimer: I own nothing MK-related. **

**Somebody asked for a long chapter, so here you go!**

**Thanks to ChibiSonya and KitanavsMileena for your faithful reviewing/critiquing of my work!**

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Seven**

* * *

**You should not have left her.**

_What else was I supposed to do? This is meeting is important; it's not something I can put off until tomorrow. When the elders summon me, I must convene with them. It's my duty to do what's necessary to protect this village. You should know that._

**You hurt her feelings, **it accused. _  
_

_Yes, I know that, and I hate that I hurt her, but what can I do about it? I want to spend time with her before she leaves again, too. If I had a choice, I wouldn't be here right now. But I can't neglect my responsibilities as chief of this village. People are depending on me so I have to do what's right. Mileena will be fine. I hope._

**We should make it up to her. **_  
_

_How?_

**_You know how_, **the beast purred suggestively, **This evening. In the bedroom. Catch my drift?**

_But of course. I should have known your dirty mind would end up there sooner or later. _**  
**

**It's _your _dirty mind. Don't blame _me_ for revealing what was already buried within it. You want her so badly. Why do you deny it? **_  
_

_I'm not denying it, I do want her. But there is a time and a place for those thoughts; this is not it. Now be silent, I need to concentrate on what's going on. _**  
**

That was the last of the internal conversation between Nightwolf and his bane; however, the dark entity wouldn't leave it there. It kept on suggesting ways that Nightwolf could 'make it up' to Mileena later on in the evening and the shaman sighed. A little too loudly, though._  
_

"Are you well?" Tvari asked beside him.

The pale general's face was a bit ashen and it would seem as though he'd lost a few pounds. Under his good eye there was a heavy shadow.

Nightwolf frowned and said, "I should be asking you the same; what's happened?"

The General ran his hand through his hair, from root to tip, and rested his fingers at the base of his neck. He rolled it this way and that while the elders took a brief respite. His red eye was alert but wearily so. He dropped his gaze to his lap, between his crossed legs, and pursed his lips.

"In your absence, much was required of me." Tvari answered quietly, "Standing in for you isn't as easy as it looks."

Nightwolf nodded but he got the feeling Tvari wasn't being wholly honest with him. That would explain the tiredness, but the chief could tell there was something else vexing the general. If Tvari didn't want to tell him, though, that was fine.

"Your hair has grown," Nightwolf remarked idly.

The elders were still talking softly amongst themselves for the time being. Tvari had to relish in a private smile at his chief's keen observation. As it was, his hair was falling over his shoulders, down his back, and around his arms near his wrists. His hands were on his knees with his fingers drumming lightly atop them.

With that same rare smile on his powder-pink lips he chuckled. "So it has. I thought you'd notice."

The two lapsed into silence and Nightwolf dreaded it. He had made idle chat with Tvari to keep his mind off of her. Now he had to do something else. He began studying the mundane, chalky ash at the pit of the campfire in the center of the clearing. The flames were leaping and casting its vectors over everyone and everything present. The chief cradled his head in his hands and stared at the packed earth and grass in the gap between his thighs.

He could remember a time when he had been in these same woods not too long ago. It was the day he was trying to be romantic by taking Mileena on a date. It didn't go too badly, not like he thought. She seemed to enjoy his cooking, and even though she said it was cheesy, her sparkling eyes didn't lie; she was happy and so was he. She looked absolutely stunning that day, as she did every day. Her style was far from appropriate, and he wished she wouldn't show so much of her body.

**Because her beautiful body is ours alone, **the beast growled somewhere in his head.

Nightwolf closed his eyes and pictured his love. She was really something special. Her hair was rough and thick and even though it had grown a little, it still only brushed the tips of her shoulders. It did well to frame her tan face nicely. Those eyes of hers could entrance and were always shouting volumes for her otherwise unspoken emotions. She tried to hide her pain, her fear, her nervousness, but it all showed in her dark eyes. Impossibly soft, though a bit chapped, were her light-coral lips, and that was only so because she insisted on worrying one of them at night while she slept. He'd know, he'd watched her sleep countless times before. Her neck should still hold the remains of a bruising kiss he'd placed on her a few nights prior.

**Of course it's still there. If not, we'll have to give her another; **Nightwolf could almost feel the beast inside him grinning with pride.

She was perfect to him. Her smile, when he could catch it, was a thing of beauty in itself. She was adorable as well. Like this afternoon, when she'd offered him that uncertain little curl of her mouth to try and make him feel better. If only she knew how much that smile broke his heart. A lot of things she did were quite endearing. Weeks ago, she had spent the night under the stars across from a dying fire with him. She had rested her head on his chest and even went so far as to lean up and kiss him of her own volition. Then in the hotel, after he'd taken her from her misunderstanding monk captors, she'd just melted in his arms and relaxed there as if she knew that was where she belonged. He loved holding her close to his heart at night. Loved falling asleep after making sure she had fallen first, with her body tucked into his. He loved walking around with his arm round her waist while she kept pace at his side. He loved cooking for her and watching her devour every piece of what he gave her.

He loved _her_. With all his heart.

**Why are you letting her get away from us? **

That was a good question. Nightwolf couldn't exactly _make_ Mileena stay; that woman was so stubborn he doubted he could really make her do anything. So it was up to her to stay or to leave. He wasn't kidding himself, he knew that she would leave and go to the palace without him. He wanted to be there for her, but he had to honor her wishes. If she wanted to do this alone, he would let her. For now. But the minute he felt something wasn't right, he'd be there whether she wanted him to be or not.

The elders had returned to the topic at hand now, which was the imminent invasion. They had seen, in varying visions, images of this pale devil and his evil armies setting foot on Nightwolf's land. Now they were worried and wanted to know what was to be done to prepare for the attacks. Nightwolf had to form a plan and make sure his people weren't in danger any more than they already were. Troops had to be readied, and his borders needed to be manned at all times, starting tonight. He gave orders to Tvari to secure the land and make sure each warrior was on guard. Nightwolf told the elders of his plan to have the villagers relocated to the caves of Mount Ord not too far away. It was best if the women and children and elderly were out of the way.

"Is that all, sir?" Tvari asked. Like Nightwolf, he was rising to his feet and stretching his legs.

The chief nodded once and thought about bringing up the incident with Mileena and how the general had abused her, but decided against it. Tvari had acted out of order that day, and even though Nightwolf wasn't there to witness what happened, he knew enough about Mileena to know that she knew just what buttons to push to set people off. That didn't at all make it right for Tvari to hurt her so badly, but now was not the time to chasten his general. So much needed to be done and there wasn't a lot of time to do it. The sorcerer could march onto his lands any day now, and Nightwolf knew he had to be ready. So he pushed the matter away for now and focused on finding Mileena.

The sooner he caught up to her, the sooner he could begin spending their last hours together. His inner counterpart had a few ideas of how the two could savor the night but Nightwolf wouldn't dare come onto her, unless she wanted him to. Lately she had been testing his limits and they weren't holding up against her advances. She wanted him to take her places he just couldn't go right now. He wanted to make their union official before he touched her that way. He had a feeling Mileena was still a virgin. He didn't want to take that away from her in one night of impulsive passion. He wanted to make the event special for her, he wanted to make it truly memorable and beautiful.

* * *

There were eight torches, lit and glowing against the backdrop of the setting sun. In the early evening hue the fire cast shadows over the placid lake, on the surrounding forest, and on the soft, moist dirt ground that yielded under the pressure of each rough wooden pike. Sitting cross-legged in the middle of the circle of flames was a dark-haired youth of only fifteen years. Sleek red paint shone like silk ribbons on his tawny, cherry-brown skin. His body was sheathed in a thin layer of perspiration as his lips moved languidly over his native language. His words were drowned out by the sizzling and popping of the orange-lit torches. Both his hands lay palm-up on the earthen floor beside him and his head was tilted slightly back with his nose pointed towards the heavens. His eyes were closed and still, except for the occasional twitch of his long lashes and smooth lids. On his back were the dancing phantom-esque flickers of the lights around him. He was bare, save for the tights and short loincloth around his waist.

I didn't want to disturb him, since his mouth was still stumbling over some chant or prayer, but I was a little worried. No, not worried, just freaked out. I don't know what he's doing, but it has to have something to do with what the Prick told me. What _did _the Prick tell me?

_Purging himself of his imagined sins_, that little voice reminded me.

Yet again it proved to me that it did have its uses.

But what did the Prick mean? Was this some kind of ritual? I pondered this and tried not to make a sound. I didn't want to be discovered just yet, nor did I want to interrupt whatever Elan was in the middle of. So I shrunk back past the cover of the trees and watched him continue to whisper. Pretty soon, something began to happen.

The wind around me, and him as well, began to pick up gradually. It was a bit of a breeze at first, but then the air spiked and swirled and whipped my hair around my cheeks. I crouched down to my knees and clapped my hands against my ears as the wind really gained speed and started to whistle and howl. I squinted against the gales and saw the torches were snuffed out. Elan and I were bathed in the navy and black shades of the night. The boy still held his docile pose, even with all the turmoil going on around him. Treetops were bending and each blade of grass wavered in the mild darkness. I had to wrap my arms around me because it had gotten so chilly all of a sudden. _  
_

Spontaneously there was an ethereal glow within the boisterous winds, a swirling eddy of blue and white light slithering down in front of Elan. It was coming from the sky, it appeared out of nowhere and shot all the way up into the clouds. But it didn't stay there. Like a ghost the light traveled and the individual glittering rays gathered around Elan's head like a halo of fireflies. Down his arms and into his open palms the light pooled, like twin orbs of milky luminescence. From his hands the light spun and circled in silvery streaks around him. Forming a cylinder of sheer brightness it enveloped him and caused his entire body to shine but it only lasted a couple of seconds. Then the light receded and the winds died down. Elan fell over and didn't move.

I called out to him once and when he didn't respond, I ran over to him. He was slumped onto his side with his eyes still closed and his chest heaving softly. Okay, so he's not dead. But why wasn't he waking up? I shook him hard and called his name but he didn't react. I slapped at his cheek but got no answer. I started to panic.

"Elan, wake up! Elan!" I was probably shouting.

I didn't notice, I was getting scared. Something happened to him and I felt sort of helpless right now. I hate feeling this way. Impotent and powerless. Like that night the village was attacked and those men. The bad memories caught up with me again and my eyes started to sting familiarly.

"Shit. S-Snap out of it," I stammered to myself.

I blinked hard and saw the moisture fall from my eyes onto the apple of the boy's cheek below me. Still he did not stir. It looked like I would have to carry him, or go and get help; I don't want to leave him out here defenseless, though. Something might happen to him. Somehow my fears manifested in the form of a wild howl in the not-so-distant part of the woods and I shivered. Okay, I'm definitely carrying him.

Elan wasn't too much taller than me, so I bent down onto the ground and grabbed his underarms. I hoisted him onto my back and with difficulty I staggered to my feet. I had to shift the boy up higher so his bare feet wouldn't scrape against the dirt and wood and rocks. His head rested on my shoulder, and now that he was closer to me I could hear his soft snores. The sound was oddly easing my anxiety. It made me feel like he was going to be okay.

I broke through the woods and huffed while deciding which way to go. It was definitely dark now, everybody had closed up for the night and were off the streets, er, walkways. Only a few people were around. One of whom I actually recognized; I ran over to them.

She couldn't say a word but pure concern shone through her lovely fierce eyes. She reached for her younger brother and I took the little child from her arms in turn. I don't remember her name, but I did remember that the girl was either deaf or mute. Must be mute because she had Elan in her arms bridal style with her ear up to his chest. Relief washed over her features as she detected a heartbeat. Her short, cropped black hair curved under her chin and her dark eyes examined me.

I held the little boy, her child Elan told me before, in my arms and frowned. How could such a tiny kid feel like lead? He was asleep and drooling on my shoulder and tank-top strap. As if instinctively he wrapped his arms around my neck and snuggled into the crook of it. I cut my eyes; I was never really fond of kids, especially not the clingy ones.

Speaking of clingy, the older sister grabbed my hand. She pointed to herself and began walking. I assumed she wanted me to follow her so I did. In no time we reached their hut, the one with the cart of woven fabric and brightly colored garments out in front. She stepped in and held the door open for me.

I didn't know what to do once I was in there. The child was still in my arms so I stroked his back, not knowing what else to do with my hands. The place looked very similar to how Nightwolf's hut was laid out. The young woman took Elan into one of the few rooms and then returned to get the baby. She didn't seem too worried.

"Do you know what's wrong with him?" I asked. I know she can't really answer back, but a yes or no was all I needed.

She shrugged. I went behind her to the room Elan was in and saw her bend down to kiss her brother on the forehead. She had lain him across a plain pallet and had spread a blanket over him. He looked to be just sleeping. I hope that was the case. As his sister rubbed the back of her hand against his head I was tempted to kiss him as well; I was worried about him and if that was the way to show it, I'd kiss his forehead as well. But this wasn't my little brother.

Unfortunately.

So I rubbed my hands over my shorts and mumbled, "Well I better go. If he wakes up, let him know I was here, and that I."

I paused: what else did I have to say to him? Nothing, I guess. I wanted to tell him in person how much I missed him and how I had to leave all of a sudden. Oh well. I suppose Nightwolf will tell him what's happening. I sighed and left the quiet hut. The last thing I saw was the young woman kneeling over her brother with her son in her arms and her hand smoothing over Elan's back.

* * *

Somehow she thought spending the day with her beau would be more rewarding than this. So far all they had done was get transported to Outworld and hike through rough, dry terrain. After they'd gotten past the desert, the plain, vegetative landscape behind the main palace began to show. Thick green grass beneath their feet, wide, drab tree trunks with trussles of oddly-shaped leaves attached, and sticks and rocks and logs scattered around was what they saw. The sky was dark and gray and rumbling threateningly every so often. It was approaching early evening. Soon they would have to stop and make camp. They were only about a day away from their destination so they had made good time.

They had been walking together for hours without saying much to the other. Kitana didn't really mind the silence, as long as she was near Liu Kang she was fairly content. But now, only a short distance away from the palace, she was beginning to feel ill-prepared for their mission. She only had a vague idea of what that was, anyway. She needed to communicate with the handsome monk and find out what needed to be done. She turned to her partner and observed him.

Liu Kang had done his hair differently for the journey. With a rough red band of fabric he had pulled his sleek black locks up into a regal-looking top-knot. It cleared his face so that Kitana could distinguish each and every feature there, from his strong jaw and pale, thin red lips to his almond-shaped black eyes and dark brows. He chose to forgo his usual attire and now donned a tight-fitting black bodysuit made of some kind of advanced material Jax had gotten for him from the OIA inventory, along with a pair of boots of the same color. The suit would act as armor against _some_ blasts of energy and heavy radiation that was so very common in the sorcerer's attacks. It was also bulletproof, fireproof, and hard to cut into due to its compact fiber networking.

Plus the monk's entire physique was on display. That was something Kitana had immediately noticed back at the hotel when the two of them had gotten dressed in the protective outfits. Of course, she could imagine that the suit looked even more revealing on her tall, curvy body than it did on him. Her suit was all-in-one like Liu's, but the top was made like a jacket and could zip up and down. The jacket had to stay closed at the top of her collar, since it would keep her safe and all, but she had left it down just below her chin for now. No harm in that, was there?

"Liu," Kitana said hesitantly. "Can you tell me what our mission consists of?"

Liu Kang kept his gaze straight ahead and answered her nonchalantly, "We are to incapacitate the demigod and report back to Arizona with Nightwolf and Raiden."

Kitana sighed. "That's easily said but how are we going to do that?"

"We'll find a way," Liu assured her.

"How? What if we can't incapacitate him?" Kitana feared.

She hated to admit it, but Rain was a formidable ninja that had trained and perfected his skills for thousands of years. He was a force that the two of them might have more than a little trouble with.

Liu shrugged, "I'm sure the both of us will have no problem doing so."

"But what if Quan Chi gets involved?" she asked.

She admired how confident Liu sounded, but she couldn't put her worries to rest. It really bothered her, how strong Quan Chi had gotten. She knew that there was a good chance he might get involved, if he was actually here, that is.

Liu paused, and then said, "Then we'll have to retreat. We'd be outmatched. But I doubt it'll come to that."

He didn't exactly trust Scorpion but he had left room for surprises; the emperor might be there, and Rain might be at the palace as well, so he would be prepared for confrontation. But he still had his doubts about Scorpion's trustworthiness. He wouldn't be at all fazed if the palace was just as empty as the lobby of the OIA office building. Kitana had a little more faith in the spectre's information.

"How are we even going to get into the palace without him noticing?" she asked dismally.

Liu stopped walking and turned to face his partner. She had been on his mind this whole time. The questions she was asking were more difficult to answer than he let on, but he had chosen not to worry too much about them. The most important thing to him was keeping Kitana safe. If the mission compromised her safety more than what it already was, he'd waste no time in getting her out of there.

Liu Kang smiled at Kitana and told her, "We'll cross that bridge tomorrow. It might not be so hard as you think."

He surely hoped not. He watched Kitana's anxiety melt away slowly and in turn she smiled back at him. She was the princess, and had lived in the palace for several years. If anybody knew the ins and outs of the place, it was her. And Jade, of course. Her confidence slowly bolstered. Ruining the moment, though, was a streak of lightening and a shudder of thunder. In seconds rain began to fall. Both of them looked up and then at each other before they ducked and ran for cover.

"In here!" Liu Kang shouted over another clap of thunder.

He grabbed the princess' hand and pulled her with him under the shelter of a rushing waterfall. It was a small one, only about a couple of yards high, but it fit right in with the wild trees and humid atmosphere of the amazon-like overgrown forest of Outworld. There was a shallow cave behind the wall of water and it was here that Liu and Kitana stopped running and caught their breath.

Kitana placed her hand on her chest and her other one on the rock wall behind her. She slid to the cave floor and crossed her legs. Her hair was in a high ponytail but most of it had gotten wet so she pulled her tresses loose and tugged the black hairband over her wrist. She wiped at her face and shook her head a bit. Liu Kang startled her when he slumped down beside her.

"Well that escalated quickly." he chuckled, "I didn't think it'd start pouring so fast."

Kitana blinked and turned her head away to hide the blush spreading up to her ears. "Yes, that came out of nowhere." she agreed.

Liu was watching her with intrigue. She had worked up a healthy blush and he assumed it was from their impromptu sprint through the jungle. He was pretty flushed himself. He propped one knee up and laid his arm across it while keeping his other leg, the one beside Kitana, flat on the ground. His hand and hers were nearly touching.

Kitana noticed that as well. She waited patiently for him to make his move. And he did. As they were both staring straight ahead at the blurry, watery curtain Liu inched his hand over to hers and used his palm to scoot his body closer to her. Kitana's stomach was the first to react, and it began to spin and flurry out of control. Against the ground her palms started to sweat. She had to fight to keep the girlish smile at bay. Out of nowhere a breeze penetrated the cave and she shivered.

"Are you cold?" Liu asked immediately.

Even if she wasn't, Kitana would've nodded anyway. "Kind of." she replied.

"Here. Let me warm you up," Liu offered.

He wrapped his arm around the princess and closed the distance in between them. His hand rested on her forearm above her elbow, and her head fell onto the edge of his chest. She let her legs unfold and stretch out in front of her. Her heart was hammering away in her ears but she was pleased with Liu's romantic behavior. She supposed it was his inner fire that kept his body so warm.

Liu moved his hand down to her hip and didn't waste another minute. He had to tell Kitana how it was he felt about her. He had only known her for about a year, and even less than that since they hadn't exactly kept in touch after the last tournament. But the monk was certain that his feelings for the princess weren't unfounded, and if they were then that would reveal itself later on.

"Kitana," he murmured. He was nervous. He didn't want to be rejected.

He knew that the princess must feel something for him as well if she allowed him to hold her so intimately, but the friend-zone was a very well-known, hellish place one could fall into if true intentions were not discussed frankly. He had no desire to end up in that position, so he had to be clear.

Kitana bent her knees and tucked her legs underneath her. The added height this gave her had her lips nearly brushing his chin. She stared right into Liu's eyes and waited for him to continue.

Liu cleared his throat delicately; he was hardly blind to their closeness. It was certainly having an effect on him. His face gained the slightest shadow of pink.

"Kitana, I want you to know that I." he felt his stomach flip uneasily but forced the feeling down, "I really care about you. I have deep feelings for you and would like to, would like to." he had to stop and organize his thoughts.

The steady widening of Kitana's eyes and the part in between her lips was throwing him off. He was about to begin again but the princess cut him off.

"Liu, I care about you too. A lot. I just didn't know if you felt the same way," she admitted.

Liu breathed a sigh of utter relief and smiled widely. The feeling was shining in both their eyes. No more needed to be said, so no more was stated. Liu Kang didn't think, he just acted. He was so elated to hear those words that his joy overtook him.

He took her gently by the back of her head and kissed her right on her full lips. He could feel that her mouth was still open and he let his tongue wander around. She closed her eyes and, with both her hands still on the ground, she pushed herself into the kiss.

Liu took hold of both her hips and brought the princess to her knees as he leaned up onto his, too. He wrapped his arms around her back and she wrapped hers round his neck. He laid his palm flat against her back and pressed his mouth to hers again. Pecks more than full kisses were what he gave and she kept her eyes closed while he laid them on her. Liu's hands roamed. Through her long, damp hair and back out again, up her jacket over her stomach, and eventually over her chests. The material was suppressing and restrictive, so he pinched his fingers over the zipper with the full intent of bringing it down. Kitana opened her eyes.

She looked down and saw that Liu was inching the zipper lower ever so slightly. She froze and sat back on her heels. Liu crawled forward but Kitana got off of her heels and sat flat on her bottom. She held up a hand to stop him and took a moment to let her brain catch up with her.

She was thrilled that Liu admitted he cared for her, just as she cared for him. And she was glad that he was showering her with kisses and sweet touches but now he was eyeing her zipper lustfully and she got the feeling things were moving too fast. She told him this.

Liu sat back on his haunches and nodded. "You're right." he whispered.

"I guess I got carried away," he murmured huskily.

Kitana licked her lips and brought her slender, shaking hand to her cold metal zipper. She pulled the thing back up from where it had been dropped past her cleavage. All the way up to her neck she closed the jacket and let her hand fall back at her side.

Liu crossed his legs and laid his hands over his lap. He was trying very hard to calm himself down. He had definitely gotten carried away. Once he had a taste of Kitana's saccharine lips his _real_ inner fire had been ignited. That bodysuit was giving him a hell of a hard time focusing on calming down. It hugged her every curve. She was looking into her lap now with her legs crossed like his. Her hair fell around her shoulders and framed her downcast face nicely. She was beautiful, and from this day on, she was _his_. She had admitted to feeling the same way about him so there was nothing their relationship could do but grow. He decided that he could wait. If she wanted to take things slow, he'd oblige her.

Kitana yawned and stretched out onto her side. It didn't look like the rain was letting up anytime soon, so she decided they'd be staying in this cave for a while. Might as well get some rest. Only problem was, the cave floor was just as cold as the chilly air around them. She began chattering again.

Liu smirked to himself. Perhaps he could convince the princess to finish what they had started after all. He scanned his eyes over her body. It was perfection. She rolled onto her back and propped up her knees.

"Still cold, Princess?" he asked smoothly.

Kitana propped her body up on her elbows and blinked innocuously at the monk. He making his way over to her on his hands and knees. A few dark locks fell out of his top knot and fell like bangs on either side of his face. His lips were curved wickedly. She frowned. This did not look good.

_Actually it does, _she thought to herself. But she couldn't indulge in that kind of behavior the night before a mission. She was about to tell Liu Kang this but he was upon her now and her words got caught in her throat.

Liu Kang now hovered over top of her, in between her parted legs. He had his hands down on either side of her head and she pushed her hands against his chest.

"Liu, we shouldn't...The mission," she trailed. She figured the mention of their duty would deter him. No such luck.

Liu brought his head down next to her ear and said, "Kitana, the mission can wait."

His tone was a soft, sultry one that the princess could not resist. Her breath hitched when the monk scraped his teeth against her lobe in the next instant. She closed her eyes again and laid her head against the cool ground; if he wasn't worried about tomorrow, then so be it. She wanted this. And since their time together was certainly not promised due to the dangerous mission they were partaking in, she allowed herself to indulge in his careful attentions.

Liu could see that the princess had relented when her head hit the ground and her eyes fluttered shut. He smiled victoriously and angled his head down over her neck. His kiss there was fiery and wet. He didn't just lick at the pale flesh, he brought the delicate skin in between his teeth and bit down lightly. She gasped. His tongue wasn't doing all the work, though; he had both hands gripping the fabric over her thighs and his fingers massaged at the area expertly.

Kitana had never had a lover before, truth be told. Her life was hell after Kahn entered the picture, shortly after she'd reached womanhood. Many privileges and experiences were denied her due to the turmoil that seemed to be ever-present in her country. She had not had time for a 'boyfriend' of any sort so this was all fairly new to her. She liked it.

Liu was fiddling with her zipper again, and Kitana was about to stop him but his hands moved from her thighs to her wrists: he held them down beside her head. He closed his mouth around the tiny contraption and used his teeth to pull it down again. His lips ghosted over the underside of her chin and over the skin of her upper body as he forced her jacket to split all the way down to her navel. To his immense pleasure, she was wearing nothing over her chilled skin save for her thin black underwear. Kitana shook for the umpteenth time that evening as the cold air hit her suddenly exposed skin and Liu took care of this problem immediately.

"Beautiful," he whispered before he dragged his sizzling hot tongue over her flat stomach.

He nipped and kissed his way to the edge of her bra. He wanted to tear it apart but that could wait. Instead, he slid his hands down her wrists and arms and fondled the twin mounds. His fingers found her hardened tips and he twirled the pad of his thumb over them. Kitana was breathing shallowly and having trouble keeping her hands to herself. She tugged at his arms and hooked her own around his back. Liu was hard all over. He brought his hips down over the princess' and felt her meet him halfway.

Kitana had never felt anything like this before. It was crazy. She, who had lived for centuries, had never been shown this kind of pleasure in all her life. It was too much for her. She bucked against Liu and gave a quiet cry of surprise when he ground into her in response. He kissed her and lay flat against her with her breasts bunched up against his chest and her legs tangled round his middle. He was only getting started.

"Liu," Kitana breathed against his mouth, "Liu, we have to stop." she warned.

He pretended not to hear her and kissed her temple. His strokes were gaining not speed but rhythm. She panted and balled her fists against the spasms of ecstasy he sent rocking through her.

"L-Liu, not here." she whispered.

He fought every urge in his body to keep going because he knew in his heart that she was right. He didn't want to take her this way. In a cave. In the jungle. With a mission impending. His body craved release, but he would have to deny himself for tonight. She deserved better than this. He had promised himself long ago that he would not touch her until they were wed, back when he was still incredibly lovesick, but now in the heat of the moment waiting for that time was the hardest thing to do.

Kitana made it easier for him by shutting her legs and zipping up her jacket for the second time that night; this time, however, she intended to keep it closed. Liu watched her lie back down on her side and when he came up behind her she tensed. He set her at ease.

"I won't do anything. Not right now," was his velvety promise to her.

His words excited the princess more than he knew. Kitana smiled privately and let Liu drag her by the waist into his body. He had one arm under her waist and the other over her hip. She lolled her head back onto his chest and he rested his chin atop her head. His high body temperature was enough to keep them both warm throughout the night, and as the rain continued to pour, they fell asleep in each other's embrace.

* * *

I found out that running the black bar of soap under a stream of hot water created lots of little white foamy bubbles and so that's why the tub was full of them. I was sitting cross-legged with my back to the bathroom door and had my hair tied up messily to keep it from getting wet. It had been an hour since I got back from Elan's hut. Thirty minutes since I walked in to find Nightwolf's one completely empty. And only ten minutes since I'd stopped waiting up for him and decided to take a hot, relaxing bath instead.

I was disappointed that it had gotten late and yet the shaman still hadn't returned, but whatever. I know I can't always get what I want, and what I wanted was to spend my last night in the village with Nightwolf. But that's okay. If I broke down every time I didn't get my way, I'd end up in a sorry state. Sucking it up and moving on was my only option. I had a mission in the morning so that's what I needed to be focusing on anyway.

The front door shut and all that was out the window: Nightwolf was back!

His tell-tale footsteps thudded heavily on the floor and I could tell he was weary from that meeting just by the way his footfalls resounded throughout the hall. My back was to the bathroom door and my legs were crossed while my hair was piled messily into a bun. I folded my arms over my chest.

"Nightwolf, come here," I called out softly.

It was only us two in the hut so I knew he'd hear me. He didn't answer back but I could hear him getting closer to the bathroom. He pushed the door open and stood in the doorway. I turned around a little and looked him over. He had already taken off his shirt and his vest but not his pants or his boots. His long black hair was completely loose and hung limply down beside his face. He looked me in the eyes and wet his lips.

"What is it, love?" he asked hoarsely.

Coyly I replied, "Nothing. Just wanna talk to you, is all. You were gone a long time. Didn't you miss me?" I smirked.

Nightwolf took my teasing to heart and answered, "Of course I did."

I narrowed my eyes and asked silkily, "How much did you miss me?"

"Mileena," he spoke warningly.

"Enough to come in here with me?" I quipped.

He closed his eyes and gritted his jaw. He took a deep breath and said lowly, "Mileena, please. Don't test me."

"I'm not testing you," I said quickly. "I was just asking." I claimed.

I turned my back on him and raised my arms into the air. I let my fingers hook through each other behind my head, arching my back out of the water.

"You look really stressed and I thought it would be a good idea for you to take a long, hot bath. With me. That's all." I said innocently. I blinked and stared over my shoulder at him.

Nightwolf turned around quickly and walked out of the bathroom. "That is _not_ a good idea." he said on his way to the bedroom.

I huffed and stood up out of the water. Reaching down I yanked the plug out of the bottom of the tub and stood with my arms crossed while it drained out. I frowned and wondered why Nightwolf was acting like this. I know how bad he wants me but he's playing hard to get. Which is crazy, because it should be the other way around.

I grabbed the towel off of the edge of the sink and wrapped it hastily around myself. I bet I can change the shaman's mind. He might not want to touch me now, but all he needed was a little motivation. I smirked. I knew exactly what to do to get my way tonight.

I pulled my hair down and shook it out, then teased it up a little. With purpose I strode out into the hall into the bedroom. I did it quietly, so as to sneak up on Nightwolf. He was changed into a pair of loose pants already and was examining the dagger I'd stolen from Rain. I had laid it, and the bag of Koins and my sai's and the communicator, on the dresser. I didn't get far before Nightwolf sensed my presence.

"_Nightwolf_," I sang, "turn around."

He tensed up and slowly looked down and around at me. I smirked again and let the towel drop from under my arms.

"Mileena!" he hissed sharply.

He looked away quickly and began digging through his drawer. I laughed at his expense and stepped over the towel. Maybe I _had_ spent too much time around Rain after all. My nakedness was hardly bothering me at all. I hooked my arms under his and pushed my chest flat against his rigid back. On the tips of my toes I stood and kissed at his neck. He flinched and turned abruptly.

He shoved something black at me. It was a gown. What the fuck?

"Put it on." he ordered. He didn't dare break eye contact.

I pouted my lips, "Do I have to?"

"Absolutely," he responded tightly.

"But it's just gonna come off later anywa-"

"Now, Mileena!" he cried exasperatedly.

I groaned loudly and pulled the thing over my head. It was a long black gown with a stiff collar that ended right under my chin and short cap sleeves. I hated it.

"Happy now?" I snapped with my arms folded.

He shook his head and walked past me over to the pallet. Apparently he wasn't happy at all. There was a torch lit but Nightwolf put it out. He laid on his back on the bed and bade me goodnight. I frowned and stomped over to him. I don't think so.

I climbed under the sheets as well but I didn't go to sleep. I used the moonlight to help me see the chief's outline and I climbed on top of his waist. I could feel how hard he was so I knew he was definitely playing hard to get, or some shit like that. He immediately tensed up and pushed me off of him. He got up and went over to the torch. After relighting it, he turned to face me. Guiltily I sat with my legs folded backwards and my hands down in front of me.

"Mileena, stop it. You and I both need to get some rest." he told me.

"You and I both need to get laid," I muttered back.

"Woman," he trailed.

"What?" I cried, "Why are you acting like you don't want me? I know you do. So why are you making this so difficult?" I asked him.

His countenance softened. "Mileena, love, I _do_ want you and I'm sorry to have made you feel like I don't."

I rolled my eyes. "So why are you playing hard to get?" I ranted.

He smiled gently. "Is that what you think I'm doing?"

"Isn't that what you're doing?" I frowned.

He shook his head. "Of course not. I only want the best for you, Mileena. After we are officially united before the elders...then I'll have you." he vowed.

I wanted to say it so badly; _fuck the elders. _But I'm about 99.9 percent sure that wouldn't go over well with Nightwolf at all. So I kept the insult to myself. However, I stood and swayed over to him with an impetuous frown.

"Why can't you have me now?" I growled frustratedly. "I want you to have me now."

Nightwolf walked back over to the bed and narrowed his eyes, "Mileena, don't say those things to me."

I watched him struggle to keep his eyes from flickering back and forth. He sat down on the bed and bowed his head. I was really getting to him. Perfect.

I hurried to the bed before he could get up and avoid me some more, then dropped down onto his lap. I coiled my arms round his neck and grinned.

"Nightwolf, stop fighting against what you want. You don't have to wait anymore; I'm already yours, we both know that there's nobody else I want, and nobody else who wants me." I muttered this last bit to myself but he still heard me.

"Any man with a pulse would want you, Mileena." he stated wryly with his head still lowered.

I was tired of talking, though. I bent my knees parallel to his outstretched legs and rolled my hips experimentally over his lap. He twitched and grabbed my waist to stop me.

"Nightwolf, quit it!" I fussed. He kept his hands there, though.

I stared hard at him and he looked ready to push me off again. Dipping my head forward I forced a kiss on him. He was starting to react. While he began moving against my lips I placed my hands over his and laced my fingers in between his. I worked his rough hands over my stomach and up to my chest. Against his mouth I smiled dirtily as he caught on to what I had done. He tried to pull his hands away.

"No, Nightwolf. _Touch_ me," I whispered fiercely. "Touch me like you did before."

I closed my hands over his tightly so that he was squeezing both my breasts in between his fingers. His grip tightened of their own volition and I grinned. Harshly his lips crashed to mine with a passion I had forgotten he possessed.

"Mileena," he ground out my name with such longing and desire that my whole body caught fire from within.

This is what I wanted. I met his eyes and he held both sides of my face in order to plunge deeper into my mouth. That kiss left me breathless and when he pulled away I was gasping. I didn't have time to catch my breath: he was on me again that quickly. There was an urgency to his actions that I didn't like. I pushed him hard to get his attention.

"Slow _down_," I demanded.

He stopped and blinked at me, suddenly unsure. "Slow down?" he repeated.

I nodded. Crossing over his lap I crawled to the head of the head of the bed. I laid on back and leaned onto my shoulders. With two fingers I beckoned him over. He knelt in between my open legs and I tugged him down by his hair. His face was inches from my own.

"Do whatever you want to me," I told him, "Just don't go so fast."

"_Mileena_." He closed his eyes and shuddered and panted.

The gown was over my head in seconds and without blinking an eye Nightwolf raked over my body adoringly. He mouthed something Apache and roved his hands over every inch of my frame. His hands felt like sandpaper scratching over my skin. I was still wet from taking a bath. There was not a spot on me he didn't explore with his mouth and his tongue. When he dipped his red appendage into my navel I knew what he was going to do next. It still didn't prepare me for the electric jolt when his mouth covered that bundle of nerves in between my legs. I shrieked unexpectedly and then laughed. Euphoria.

I grabbed both sides of his face and pushed my lips onto his mouth. I could taste it, my body, on his tongue. It was making me incredibly wet down there. I was tired of playing around. My hands groped at the waistband of Nightwolf's pants. He smirked, he knew what I wanted. He redirected my hands to the floor above my head. Shamelessly he drove his hardness into my inflamed core and I wriggled. He had the sheets on top of him so couldn't see what he was doing with his free hand but I hoped he was getting rid of those damn pants.

"Nightwolf hurry up," I continued to squirm under his steady strokes.

He chuckled sinfully, "I thought you wanted me to slow down."

"Not anymore," I whispered. "I want you inside of me."

Nightwolf released my hands and cupped both my breasts. "Such a filthy mouth."

He nicked the tips of my chest and swirled his tongue over the buds. I felt his hot flesh in between my legs and I tensed. He held my thighs open and I braced myself for the pain I had only heard about. Tightly I secured my arms around his back and waited for him to move.

When he did I stabbed my nails deep into his shoulder blades and gritted my teeth. He was going so slow and it felt like he was ripping me apart. I choked on a sob and bit my lip.

"Ah! Shit, take it out!" I begged him. He started to do so but that hurt even worse. "No, don't take it out! Just." I shrieked and shuddered after he was all the way in.

He didn't say sorry. The way he slid carefully in and out of me was his only apology. Soon, the pain ebbed away and I lay there, letting him rock into me numbly. Then the pleasure came. It was a slow, sliver of something bright and it worked its way through my system wonderfully. I tangled my legs around Nightwolf's and welcomed his shallow thrusts. Little noises escaped me. Nightwolf pushed harder. He wasn't even pulling out all the way anymore, he was close and so was I.

All thought left me and the pleasure was the only thing on my mind. I grabbed his hair. He bit my neck. We shared a kiss and came together. I think that's what was happening. He had stopped stroking me and had pushed himself in all the way while the last traces of the tingling climax trickled away. So chastely he pecked my lips and raised up off me. He pulled out of my wet entrance and laid on his back with one leg propped at the knee. I laid down too, but only for a moment.

Climbing onto his sweaty body I fixed myself on top of him and took hold of his slippery member. Up and down I rubbed it while marveling at how quickly it began to respond.

"Nightwolf I wanna do it again," I murmured.

He smirked wolfishly and steadied me on top of him. "Whatever you like, love."

I don't know how long we stayed up but when we did fall asleep hours later, we were both exhausted. And naked. But it didn't bother me at all. Being with Nightwolf tonight made me feel like I could die happy, not that I wanted to die. Just. I had somebody who would love me no matter what, and who would make me feel like the most beautiful, damn gorgeous thing in the world. That was more than what I deserved, and just knowing that I got to spend even a little time with him was all I needed to feel complete.

* * *

**A/N: Yeah, it was long. And dirrrty. This is my first time at lemons so go ahead and let me know if I did ok, or if I totally botched it, or something in between.******** I'm not like Ermac, I can't read minds so you gotta let me know what you think of this story so far; your input matters to me. **

**As always, stay tuned for the next chapter! Until then, **

**~DymondGold~**


	28. Prepared

**_Denhoze_ is the Apache word for beautiful. I'm not at all sure, but I think it's pronounce den*ho*zay. _Kanji_ is a Japanese style/form of writing. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own MK or any of its characters/themes/settings; All credit goes to Ed Boon and his friends at Netherealm Studios.**

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Eight**

* * *

_"_Good morning, _denhoze._"

And it _was _a good morning. Bright was the light from the sun, shining through the large window; its intensity matched that of my mood. My eyes were still shut and under the sheets I yet lay, next to the man I loved. Our, um, special night was just cause for my early-hour elation and I blinked and stared up at Nightwolf.

He had propped himself up on his elbow and was beaming down lovingly at me. He reached down and cupped my face. His kiss fell gently on my forehead. Another landed on the bridge of my nose. He was being awfully chaste to say he had just made love to me only hours ago.

Into his lap I climbed and the motion of my legs was inhibited by coarse black cloth. Immediately I plopped down on top of the shaman and noticed that he was also dressed in black clothing.

"Nightwolf," I hummed just after pushing my lips to his, "Why am I wearing _this_?"

Gesturing to the stiff gown from last night I made a face. Nightwolf laughed and massaged his fingers at my hips. His touch was like an aphrodisiac; I was getting hot already.

"Mileena I woke earlier than you did and got redressed." he explained, "I felt it best to throw something on you as well."

"And why's that?" I silkily asked.

Nightwolf's fingers rose to my shoulder blades and his thumbs rested under my breasts. He leaned forward and kissed me slowly, passionately. He rubbed sensuous swirls over the sensitive flesh underneath the gown and I moaned in his mouth. Both my hands clutched either side of his masculine jaw in my eagerness to deepen the kiss. He broke contact then and licked his lips.

"I can't do this again, love; if I start, I won't be able to stop until..." he didn't finish his breathy warning.

I took it upon myself to chime in, "Until you're on top of me like last night?"

He closed his eyes and nodded.

"What's so bad about that?" I protested, "It's only morning, neither of us have anything to do." I pointed out.

Sighing and pushing me off of him the chief lamented, "That is not true; I have _too much_ to do. This village needs to be evacuated by mid afternoon at the latest."

Nightwolf stood out of the bed and stretched. "I can't stay here long. I have things to tend to regarding the invasion. Perhaps you'd like to come with me?"

I grinned lasciviously and fluttered my lashes at him. "Nightwolf I would love to _come_ with you. As _many_ times as you like." I sang softly.

He shook his head disapprovingly and walked over to his dresser. That's when I flopped back onto the pillow and rolled my eyes.

_What we did last night was fucking amazing. Of course I wanted more this morning; only natural, right? Apparently not for Nightwolf. He's going into chief-mode again. I should be getting focused as well. This was the day that Sonya told me she'd take me to the palace at Outworld after all. Instead of laying in bed I should be tracking her down so I can leave. But I didn't feel like leaving. Not yet._

Nightwolf was no longer in the room and the shower was running; I deduced his location based on these two facts alone. Quietly I disentangled my legs from the linen sheets and rose from the fur pallet. The bathroom was my destination and when I'd crossed the hall to get to it, I saw the door opened halfway. If that wasn't an invitation I didn't know what was; he obviously had changed his mind and wanted me to join him.

I didn't know who was wetter as I approached the small room, me or him. My whole body was aroused again. I was craving release from the heat coiling in between my thighs. Nightwolf hadn't noticed me yet, and he continued to stand under the spray of drizzling water obliviously. His entire body was dripping and I could detect many scars on his chest and back. Some were fairly fresh, like last-night-fresh. This was all turning me on.

Nightwolf wasn't bathing at all, he had his arms flexed behind his neck and his head tilted back. His eyes were shut against the pelting stream of water and the droplets were trailing down his neck and shoulders rapidly. I raked my eyes over his lean, naked figure. Biting down on my lip, I gripped the hem of the black nightgown in one hand. I kept my lusty eyes on his toned legs, his tawny skinned body was clouding my vision and overloading my senses. Atop my moist stomach I laid my sweaty palm. Hesitantly I crept my fingers down past my navel and very carefully I pushed two digits inside myself. I wanted to replicate Nightwolf's sensual ministrations from a few nights prior.

It wasn't feeling at all pleasurable. In fact, it sort of hurt. My nails scraped uncomfortably against the sides of my inner walls and I grimaced. I removed my fingers and wipe them on my thighs. I had only just pulled my hand from under the gown when I noticed Nightwolf was staring straight at me.

Guiltily I looked away. I could only wonder how long he's been watching me. His expression was blank and I didn't dare try to study his features. Hell the only thing I did have the nerve to look at was my own two feet.

"Mileena." he intoned.

I jumped and worried the corner of my lip. "Hm?"

"Come here." he ordered thickly. His voice was low and gravelly against the rush of the running water.

Did he just tell me to come here? I glanced up at him and saw that he had gotten down on his knees. He was definitely up to something. His hair fell on either side of his face and his eyes had switched colors; they were rippling with desire. It was the other version of him speaking to me, ordering me to come to him. I didn't care.

Obediently I padded my bare feet over to the side of the tub. He smirked, showed me those sharp fangs in the corners of his mouth, and gave me a once over. Taking my two hands in his he guide me into the tub and I stood above him. The gown was soaked in seconds and I had to wipe my wet hair out of my eyes. I looked to him for further instruction.

Nightwolf, this darker version of himself, brought my hands to his lips reverently. He pulled me closer to him and coaxed me down to my knees as well. I crawled as close as I could to him and kissed him. He took control immediately. With his hands clutching my bottom he dominated my mouth and teasingly brushed his length against my stomach.

"Turn around," he commanded.

I shivered and did as he told me. I was nervous with him behind me but I was excited too. I wanted to see what he planned on doing to me.

Without preempt he tugged the corners of the gown up over my head and tossed it out of the tub. It hit the bathroom floor with a splat and I glanced over at it with a smile. It was good to finally have that stiff thing off of me.

Nightwolf was moving behind me, closing the distance in between us two. His hands were on my hips and his head rested on my shoulder. I could feel his erection poking against my back and had difficulty breathing right. He chuckled knowingly and the sexy sound sent a chill up my spine. With one hand he gripped my waist and squeezed my body against his. Now his length was pushed firmly onto my backside and his chest was mashed against my bare back.

Trembling, I asked, "What are you doing?"

"You'll see," he whispered next to the shell of my ear. "Open your legs for me." was his soft-spoken demand.

Nervously I obliged. His free hand plummeted into the gap and covered my dripping core entirely. My body spasmed at the sudden sensation. Slipping his fingers individually through my wet folds he wreaked havoc on my tiny but highly erogenous clit. With his index finger and his thumb he held my slippery folds wide open and used his middle finger to knead the small ball at the apex of my core roughly.

"_Ahh, gods Nightwolf _" I cried in a pant. _Where the hell did he learn to do these things? It was like he knew just what spot to hit to make me crazy._

He used his whole hand to grind into my clit repeatedly and I shamelessly thrusted my lower body into his palm. Sneakily he managed to drive his fingers into my entrance and I gripped his forearms tightly. There wasn't pain like I expected, only the sinful delight of his digits pulsing in and out of me. He pinched and tugged at my throbbing clit and I could feel myself reaching my peak.

He stopped.

"_Nngh__, Nightwolf, don't stop_!" I begged him, but he was already retrieving his hand from around my waist.

He twisted me by my hips around to face him and yanked hard on my legs. I fell backwards into the tub and hissed when I hurt my elbow. Nightwolf jerked my thighs towards him and dropped forward quickly. He buried his head in between my legs and finished with his tongue what his fingers had started.

I shrieked when that hot rough appendage licked over the inside of my folds. In hurried motions he massaged and nibbled and even bit down on my clit. He pushed my backside upwards so that he could plunge his tongue deeper inside me.

"Ah, keep going," I encouraged him. I was so close!

I couldn't help but buck my hips in time with the flick of his tongue and soon waves of pleasure overtook me. It started at my core and radiated throughout my whole body. My toes tingled and my ears were ringing. Involuntarily I squeezed my eyes shut and moaned loudly.

From my navel to my neck Nightwolf licked and sucked and nipped while I came crashing back down from cloud nine. I breathed unevenly through my dry and chapped lips and swallowed to wet my hoarse throat. Every one of my nerves was on edge now.

When I opened my eyes, I saw Nightwolf had retreated to the other end of the tub and had thrown his head back on the wall. His eyes weren't so dark anymore, but other than that he hadn't changed. Nor had his erection gone away. I licked my lips once more and collected myself up off of the tub floor. On shaky hands and knees I crawled over to the shaman.

I dragged my kisses out over the expanse of his stomach and chest. His neck was what I bit and sucked at, and when I had finally gotten to his chin and mouth I took my time. I could taste the salty remains of my hot juice in his oral cavern. His teeth pricked at my pink tongue and his own red appendage claimed my own underneath his. He dragged my bottom lip out between his own and I didn't even try to stop the whimpering moans from leaving my throat.

His hardened rod pushed into my abdomen and without breaking away from our kiss I ghosted my fingers over the whole length of it. Now it was he whose breath hitched as I closed both my hands around it.

"_Mileena_," he rasped. I pecked his lips and smirked.

"I wanna make you feel good," I whispered, "Like how you did for me."

He seemed to accept this and I took control. Bending down over his lap I parted his legs and laid on my stomach under the warm spraying water. I laid my palms on both his thighs and gave him a dirty smile. With better access to his whole erection I leaned forward and kissed his shaft tentatively.

It twitched.

Dragging my nails over his flaming skin gently I took my first long lick. From the bottom of his sack to the very top of his head I pressured my tongue up and around his member and then closed my lips over his tip. I bobbed my head slowly over the throbbing rod and pumped his shaft at the same time. I couldn't tell if he was swearing or not because it wasn't English he was grunting in.

"Am I doing it right?" I asked him, barely above a whisper. "Is it good enough for you?" I wanted to know.

His gaze was hazy and pained but he replied, "You have no idea, love."

I grinned and bent down over him again. This time I sucked on his sack below his shaft and scooted up so that I could wedge the dripping rod in between my breasts. I had a hard time keeping it there, but Nightwolf began pumping it anyway. As he rocked his length into my breasts I opened my mouth and sucked on the head of his shaft.

"_Tastes so good, Nightwolf,_" I moaned. He pumped harder.

I could feel his member contracting and getting ready to quiver and release and that's when he chose to stop again. He dragged me up by my shoulders and kissed me searingly. My cry of pain when he slammed me into the wall was lost in his mouth. He hefted my thighs up and I hooked my legs around his waist. He had no problem getting his rod inside of me with all the water and precum coating his shaft. With his hands groping at my backside he began to drive into me.

His strokes were frenzied and were banging my back into the wall with each thrust. I tangled my hands in his hair and forced him to lower his head over my chest. He didn't have to be told what to do; each mound and pert nipple got its share of his rushed attention. Our bodies were slapping rhythmically against each other and I lost myself in the wild passion of it all.

While my hands clawed from his hair down to his back I felt his muscles rippling and shuddering under my fingertips. Even tighter I clenched my legs round him and called out his name fervently.

"_Nightwolf_," I had only one last plea, "_Make it hurt._"

And he did. With power he slammed into my abused core and jarred the bathroom door on its hinges. I shrieked and bit into his shoulder. His speed increased tenfold and he smashed himself flush against me with my breasts in his crushing grip. It felt so damn good.

It was no surprise at all when we both came and his heavy seed began coursing through me with the climax flowing through our conjoined bodies. He grunted and rocked into me one last time and almost pulled out.

"No don't!" I cried. I let the twitching rod slide back and forth a few more times.

I reached down and tugged his now flaccid member out of my folds and marveled as the last bit of white fluid shot onto my stomach and dripped down the length of his shaft. I knelt down and licked the sticky seed from his tip and swallowed it, savored it. Nightwolf knelt as well, and licked his essence from my abdomen. After another kiss, he brought me into his arms and sank back down to the bottom of the tub. I shut the water off with my foot, and he stretched his arm to close the door. He reclined on his back and I nestled up to his chest.

* * *

"Here it is," Kitana exclaimed to her partner.

The familiar sight of dead or dying roses brought a grim smile to her lips and made Liu Kang cringe. Whoever had started this garden had to be rolling in their grave because the weedy plants looked like they hadn't been groomed in ages. One of the bushes was kicked over by the princess and underneath the fallen brambles was damp wooden hatch. The cedar had holes and cracks from deterioration and small insects eating away at it.

Liu stared down mutely as Kitana lifted the hatch and descended into the tunnel. He stepped down the stairs right behind her. Once he got to the second ridge, he reached up and closed the wooden lid and bathed them in complete darkness. It was so narrow and hard to see that the monk nearly stumbled over his teammate.

Kitana took his hand in hers and told him, "Just follow me."

He twined his fingers in between hers and nodded, then realized she couldn't see the gesture in the dark and while in front of him. Kitana squinted her eyes and drew from her memory the straight path to the end of the underground passageway.

"Where does this lead?" Liu Kang asked.

"To the master bedroom." Kitana answered quietly.

The princess got butterflies inside at the simple act of hand-holding. She remembered all that they had said and done in that cave last night. Both of them were aware of how the other felt now and although it was a relief to have those feelings it out in the open, she was sort of shy around him knowing where he planned on taking their relationship in the near future. Her skin tingled at the thought of his fiery touch and her cheeks flooded with color. For once, the royal was glad to be under the cloak of that same darkness she used to fear as a small child; it meant he couldn't see her reddened face.

Liu Kang's thoughts had taken a similar turn after hearing the word 'bedroom'. His eyes had by now adjusted to the darkness and he could make out Kitana's figure, her swaying hips, in front of him. To keep his unsavory thoughts at bay he stared at the back of her swishing ponytail and asked more questions.

"Why is that?" he spoke with an echo.

Without missing a step Kitana shrugged. "I'm not really sure. But when I was here before I didn't have much work to do and often ended up with time on my hands. Jade and I ended up discovering a lot of things about this palace and how it's built."

Liu Kang bobbed his head again out of habit. "So is this like the place you lived at in Edenia?"

"Not at all." she replied, "My mother's estate was not so large, and it didn't feel as eerie or unwelcoming." she explained.

"Perhaps this place feels that way because of all the evil people who's been inhabiting it." Liu mused.

In front of him Kitana stopped abruptly, startling the monk.

_Did I offend her? _he wondered, _of course I did! Why did I say that?! She used to live here, she probably think I'm talking about her as well!_

"Kitana, I'm sorry; I didn't mean that _you _were evil, I was referring to Shao Kahn, and Shang Tsung, and Quan Chi, those people, not you." he clarified.

Kitana spun on her heels and tilted her head cutely. She was confused. Going over their last exchange she failed to understand what he was apologizing for. Then she put her reaction into play and realized that he probably misinterpreted her sudden stop. She smiled gently and pointed in front of her to where fourteen steps lay stacked atop each other. She knew by heart how many there were.

"That's okay," she softly stated, "We're here."

She turned round and climbed quietly so as not to make too much noise with her high-heeled boots. Liu watched move up the stairs gracefully. He was in awe of how much more fascinating her mundane movements were now that every inch of her frame was hugged by that tight black suit.

_These outfits should be banned_, he thought wryly. He began climbing up behind the princess and bent down on the top step beside her. She was on her knees with her hands on the stone step in between her legs. Her ear was pushed against the crack in the hatch and in her strive to hear better she'd shut her eyes, blocking out any distraction.

_Wouldn't it be so easy to just kiss her, _Liu thought to himself. He couldn't help but stare at the beautiful woman. She was right in his face, with her brow furrowed in concentration and her lips parted a little. He fought the urge to fall forward and claim those lips, though. It was hard to tear his eyes away from her but he had to, before they dropped below her chin and neck, because if he even glanced at the rest of her body up close he'd surely lose control.

"Come on," Kitana whispered. "I think he left. I heard a man's voice, not the sorcerer's, but it's gone now." she elucidated.

Oblivious to her partner's inner turmoil she pushed open the hatch and hoisted her body over the ledge. She turned onto her back and slid her legs out from under her. She recognized the underside of the large-sized bed immediately. She crawled out from under the bed frame and Liu followed her from beneath the bed to the full mirror on the adjacent side of the wall. He looked around.

"This is the master bedroom?" he spoke lowly.

The princess nodded. "Yes. This is where Quan Chi was staying when Jade and I left. He moved to his other lair in the desert recently, but I think he's back now, from what Scorpion said."

Liu saw the many talismans and devices laid out on the dresser and swallowed hard. The bits of metal and wood looked small and harmless right now, but in the hands of the very capable necromancer, they were probably lethal tools of torture and destruction.

"Let's hope he's not around." the monk quietly stated.

"Now what should we do?" the princess asked unsurely.

They had gotten into the palace fairly easily, so the mission was going good so far. But she was at a loss of how to proceed. Liu was a bit used to doing these things, and suggested they find a disguise of some sort.

Kitana thought to herself, trying to figure out what day it was. "If I'm not mistaken, yesterday was laundry day."

Liu cocked a brow, "What does that have to do with finding a disguise?"

"The guards and servants get their uniforms washed and cleaned every week. All the extra clothes are stored in the supply closet." she proclaimed.

Liu nodded. "Okay then it's settled. We'll masquerade as guards and no one will suspect us." he said simply.

Kitana smiled; Liu was pretty easy-going. She liked that about him. She peeked cautiously out into the hall and saw that there were no guards posted anywhere near Quan Chi's door. Perfect. Kitana turned to Liu and took his hand.

"Let's go." she told him.

Together they slinked down the dim corridor and turned left at the end of it. There was a pearly white flight of stairs that the princess knew would lead to the palatial supply closet. Surprisingly, there were no guards around the downstairs area, either.

"Something's suspicious about there being no guards around," Liu murmured.

Kitana rolled her eyes and swung the wooden door to the closet open. "Not really." she stated.

"If you knew the sorcerer like I do, you'd be used to his arrogance. He doesn't keep guards around because he thinks he's invincible. Most of the ones that were here before left with him when he fled to his lair in the desert. If they were killed, he didn't bother replacing them." she described.

Inside the closet were racks lined with linen and cotton garments all folded neatly and of various colors. Kitana chose two olive tunics and two black obi's from the shelves and handed one outfit to Liu. She pulled two pairs of matching dull green pants and from the floor she grabbed two black and white masks. Conveniently five shiny spears leaned against the corner of the wall of the closet and the princess took two of those as well. She had trouble balancing all the items and Liu Kang decided to help.

"Let me," he offered.

Taking up the spears he allowed her to adjust the light clothing in her arms and she smiled gratefully. She was about to think of a place they could change clothes but had no time because somebody was making their way down the stairs that were just around the corner to the closet.

With a stricken expression Kitana hurried inside the closet and forced Liu to do the same. She whispered to him, explaining that someone was coming and although he didn't hear anything he trusted in her keen senses not to steer them wrong.

"We'll have to get dressed in here." she hissed out.

She pulled the pants up over her waist in the dark and tied the tunic loosely around her frame. Liu Kang readied himself as well and bent down to slide the mask over his head. He looped the fabric of his black belt over and under itself and wrapped his fingers around the sturdy wood of a spear. Just as Kitana was tucking her long hair into the back of her collar the footsteps resounded outside the closet door. She, too, gripped a spear and held her breath.

The door swung open.

Another guard, this one broad and bulky, stood before the pair. Nobody moved. Nobody spoke. Kitana feared he'd seen through their ruse. Liu thought they were surely done for. The guard didn't know what to think.

He stretched his arm past Kitana.

The princess tensed.

He grabbed a spear.

Liu Kang's grip tightened around the one in his hands.

He closed the door, and he left.

Both partners slowly met each other's faceless gaze and let the pent-up air sweep from out of their lungs. That was close.

"Now what?" Kitana's question came out muffled.

Liu Kang shrugged, "Let's go see if we can find the demigod."

* * *

For the second time this morning I woke up in Nightwolf's strong arms. We weren't in the tub anymore; he was sitting, fully dressed, with me cradled like a bride in his lap. There was not only pure love in his warm smile but also that dreaded melancholy I hated seeing.

"What's wrong?" I croaked hoarsely.

I wish I wouldn't have asked. His smile weakened and his eyes bore into my own very knowingly. Oh. Now I remember why he's so disheartened. This was our last day together and all. Right.

"Nightwolf, you know I'm coming back," I declared.

He was hardly uplifted. "You say that now..." was his sad, trailing reply.

I pouted and glared up at him hurtfully, "What, you don't think I will?"

"I don't know Mileena. Anything could happen to you while you are in the company of that...fiend." he grimaced.

Easily I could see his distaste for the sorcerer rivaled my own. That was why I couldn't have him coming along with me. I knew how to control my hatred for Pasty but I was scared Nightwolf might do something against the emperor and ruin my mission for revenge. Or worse, get himself seriously hurt.

"Why don't you stay here?" he again implored.

I sighed and lolled my head back over his arm. "You know I can't do that."

He ignored me, "Just listen. If you stay here and wait for him to come to the village, we can confront him together."

I rolled my eyes and clambered out of his lap. After stretching out my arms I strode over to the dresser. Nightwolf came up behind me and held me from behind.

"Mileena I could heal you, and then you'd be even more prepared. Just stay here," he murmured into my neck. I reached down and laid my hands over his.

"No, Nightwolf." I told him softly, "I can't do that. Think about what you're saying. The healing process takes a week right?"

He nodded and tickled my cheek with his hair.

"Okay, so that means for a whole week, give or take, you and I both would be in no shape to take on Pasty. That would leave the entire village at risk so instead of waiting here for him to come, I'm going to the palace and stall him."

"How can you be so sure you'll be able to keep him occupied?" Nightwolf mumbled into my skin.

I shrugged, "I just am. I've dealt with his kind before. Him, Shao Kahn, that slimy Shang Tsung; they're all the same. I know how to distract him." I claimed.

"Just don't compromise yourself, love." he warned.

I don't know what he meant by that but I promised him I wouldn't anyway. Whatever puts his mind at ease. I don't want him worrying about me and not doing what he needs to for the village; that would mean all my hard work putting up with Paste-Face would be in vain.

"I just wish you wouldn't insist on going there alone," Nightwolf sighed.

I was quick to protest, "I'm not alone! Not really. Sonya gave me this," I showed him the communicator on the dresser.

"That's how we'll be keeping in touch." I told him.

He looked over the device and seemed to feel a bit better, but not by much. He examined my pristine sai's and the bag of Koins I'd left up there as well. And also Rain's dagger.

"Where did you get this?" he asked. He was clearly impressed.

Cheekily I admitted, "I stole it. It used to be for Rain."

"The demigod?" He frowned.

"Uh-huh" I smirked.

"Mileena, you should not have taken this from him. Weapons are very precious to a warrior or ninja. Especially one that's been personalized." his eyes scanned over the engraved _kanji_ on the side of the blade.

"Whatever. It's mine now," I flippantly responded.

I scooped up my sai's and the knife and tucked them into my belt loops. I'm assuming Nightwolf dressed me. Again. The red shorts were ones that I had altered a couple of weeks ago and the tight, cutoff black shirt was designed by me, too. I tied the bag of Koins by its satchel string onto my belt loop, right next to one of my sai, and skimmed through my hair with my fingers. I was doing a poor job.

Nightwolf clucked his tongue and took his own comb through my unruly locks. He couldn't tame the coarse black waves either. Choppily the ends of my hair twisted and curled under my chin. It didn't look bad, just looked a bit wild.

Going over to the side of the neatly made bed I slipped my feet into the comfortable but well-worn black moccasins that Nightwolf had given me a long time ago. Was it such a long time? It felt like more than just a month had passed since I first met him.

Nightwolf wore his brown boots as usual and a pair of dark brown pants. His chest was bare and his hair loose. There was a blue woven headband holding his dark hair in place and he had red paint over his eyes. I guess he had done a lot while I slept.

"Are you hungry?" He asked me.

I laughed, "You know I am." I grinned. "And you cook so well." I complimented.

He tilted my chin and nipped at my lips. "You know that's not my only skill. Come back to me and I'll show you what else I can do." he whispered.

I smiled widely. "Nightwolf, I told you I _am _coming back."

He pecked my cheek and said, "I'm praying you do."

Now that I had gotten my weapons on and was fully dressed I led the way into the kitchen. But not before I gave our shared room one last glance. I tried to memorize every nook and cranny. Then I blinked hard and trudged out into the hall. Nightwolf was on my heels. While he started preparing a meal of diced and seasoned meat, I took a seat at the table. The smoky scent of his somewhat primitive grill filled the whole room.

"Mileena, no matter what happens," Nightwolf started to say while removing items from the cabinets, "I love you. Nothing will ever change that." he vowed.

I was touched, to say the least. This definitely wasn't the first time Nightwolf's said he loved me, and I bet if I'm around long enough it won't be the last, but each and every time those sentimental words are directed at me I melt a little inside. He loved me. How had I gotten so lucky?

"Nightwolf I, um, I love you too," I murmured.

Nightwolf smiled and locked eyes with me across the kitchen. He loved me and accepted me and that was really saying something for a wretched person like me. I had my flaws, many of them, but he didn't care.

There was a knock on his door a few minutes later. Since I was closest, I got up to answer it. It was the cop and Sonya's teammate.

"Can I help you?" I asked neutrally. I didn't really care for the two men one way or another.

Jax said, "Nightwolf in here?"

I nodded and stepped aside. They both walked past me and stood in the kitchen. Jax sniffed around and grinned.

"I almost forgot you knew how to throw down in the kitchen," the soldier stated with a laugh.

Nightwolf smiled faintly but his heart wasn't in it. "Is there something you needed?"

Stryker crossed his arms over his blue and white shirt and said, "Raiden came today. He and Sonya told me to send for Mileena. Don't know what that's about."

I did. That must be Sonya's way of taking me to the palace at Outworld; she did say that she'd have a way for me to go this morning, she must be using Raiden to teleport me there. Nightwolf didn't say anything in reference to what the cop had told him. I guess he knew what the summoning meant as well.

"What's going on out there?" Jax asked, "How come everybody's leaving with their house on their backs?"

I looked past him out the door and saw what he was talking about. Very orderly the villagers were leaving their huts and making their way to the square. They had packed satchels and bags and other personal belongings in hand.

"The village is being evacuated in lieu of Quan Chi's pending attack." Nightwolf responded.

He came over to me and set a woven plate laden with smoked venison down in front me. I immediately tore into my breakfast. I noticed he hadn't fixed any for himself and frowned.

"Aren't you gonna eat?" I asked him.

He shook his head. "Not right now."

Stryker and Jax were observing our exchange bemusedly. I wondered how it must have looked to them, Nightwolf waiting on me and talking so easily to their, at one time, enemy. I had come a long way from what I used to be. I couldn't really say I wanted to go back, either.

When I'd finished eating Nightwolf took the plate from me and handed me a glass of warm water. All the water around here was warm, I had learned to get used to it. Nightwolf said something about how it helped with digestion. I didn't remember exactly what he'd told me.

"So I guess I'll see you later," I whispered as I put my cup in the sink.

Nightwolf nodded solemnly and then brought me into a hug. He kissed the top of my head and held me tight. I had to force myself to let him go. He didn't seem sad so much as resigned. He stroked my face gently. At least this time we were parting ways on a better note than the last with the burning village as our backdrop.

* * *

**A/N: How am I doing so far? Let me know with a review! I appreciate your feedback and am glad to have accrued so many readers. I've got some more things planned with this story, so stay tuned. In the next chapter...**

**Mileena will set out on her risky mission, Kitana and Liu will encounter some trouble, we'll catch up with Kung Lao and Jade, and Ermac and Noob will make a deal with a pretty shady character. It's all coming up soon so until next time, **

**~DymondGold~**


	29. Separated

**Disclaimer: I own nothing MK-related.**

**Thank you for reading and reviewing and faving/following this story!**

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Nine**

* * *

Things were going well, Noob would say. The realm of Vaeternus was now under the joint control of both he and Ermac, and the forces breeding in the Netherealm were gaining strength with each passing day. Both the wraith and the host were scheduled to meet with a certain cleric early this morning to strike a deal regarding more aid for their plans.

It was all very simple, when Noob took the time to think and break it down. He had sent a rogue group of mercenaries, only a few days ago, to assassinate the ruler Chi had put in place in Vaeternus. They had completed their task, and were paid by the wraith handsomely. With the realm secured under the alliance's control, preparations were made in the land to host the attack on Quan Chi.

It went without saying that if Ermac and Noob were to challenge Chi in this manner, the emperor would no doubt have his armies there to defend him; consequently, the alliance had taken measures to combat this obstacle. That's where the fallen soldiers and other denizens of Hell came into play; with Ermac's telepathic prowess, those bodies were being semi-resurrected to thwart the emperor's drones. And if that weren't enough, Noob had taken the initiative to make an appointment with a shady cleric to enlist the aid of his extra soldiers.

That cleric had yet to show up, though, so Ermac and Noob were stuck waiting for him to arrive. It had been several minutes past the hour that the meeting was supposed to occur, and although Noob was disappointed by the cleric's lack of punctuality, he wasn't nearly as put out as Ermac was. The host had closed his eyes and crossed his legs and had levitated several feet off of the ground in an attempt to calm his nerves. It wasn't working though.

Noob had to wonder why Ermac was getting so upset; the two had to encounter all kinds of unprofessional behavior in the company they kept so it shouldn't faze either of them by now. But it did, at least for Ermac. Noob stood with his arms crossed and pondered why this was. He soon got an idea of why the host was getting bent out of shape in this instance, but didn't know how to breach the topic with his partner.

He looked around the large suspended platform and stared out at the wooden temple-like building behind them. The Wu Shi Academy. They had picked the familiar grounds as a meeting place since Ermac couldn't occupy the Netherealm for too long. The place looked as sturdy and ancient as ever, despite its recent attack. Noob's correspondence had been keeping tabs on the emperor and had informed him of his latest targets, including this very Academy.

Noob let his gaze drop to the giant dragon emblem on the surface of the platform and then to his dull black boots. He decided to address his partner's foul aura now, and cleared his throat pointedly. This caught the host's attention and they focused their glowing green eyes on Noob.

"Listen, Ermac, I've noticed that you're in quite a mood, and I don't mean to pry-" he started placatingly.

**"Then don't**." Ermac growled from high above.

Noob sighed but continued. "Are you still bothered about not being able to kill Rain?"

Ermac grunted but didn't answer. Noob nodded; so that _was_ the problem.

"You don't have to be angry about that." Noob stated. "Yes, you failed, but there will be another opportunity."

Ermac narrowed their eyes into slants and slowly lowered back to the ground. "Perhaps if you had been of more assistance, he wouldn't have gotten away." the host accused.

Under his black hood Noob lifted a brow, "Oh? So I now am at fault for your shortcomings?"

To himself he scoffed. He'd surely think twice before trying to lift Ermac's dismal mood in the future, if this was how he was to be repaid.

Ermac grimaced and dropped the subject. They had no bone to pick with Noob. It was that damn demigod's fault for making things so hard. Now that he's gotten away, the secret of the alliance is as good as out. Now they had to work even faster to get their plan going.

"Where is the cleric? He should be here by now," Ermac griped.

Noob shrugged, "Perhaps something is keeping him. He is awfully late. I can only hope your attitude improves by the time he arrives."

Ermac didn't bother taking offense to that because after the words had been spoken a bright crimson portal opened up over the suspended platform and through it stepped their man of interest.

_About time, _both partners thought to themselves. Noob greeted the creature since it would seem Ermac had no intention of doing so.

"Havik, you've made it." he drawled, quite unenthusiastic.

The burgundy-enamored Chaosrealmer took no notice of his lackadaisical tone. He adjusted his armored shoulders so that he could cross his bulky, veiny arms over the 'x' on his chest. He didn't apologize for his tardiness, Noob disapprovingly noted.

"What is it you want?" the bony mouthed cleric barked.

Noob said, "We need your warriors. In exchange for their services against the emperor, you'll be allowed to wreak as much havoc in the realm of Vaeternus as you please." he bargained.

Havik eyed the wraith intensely under the visor of his metal helmet. He had a slow, crooked parody of a smile playing over his sinewy lips. He uncrossed his arms and tapped his chin.

"When do you need my men, and where should I station them?" he asked.

Noob was no stranger to the ruthlessness of the Chaosrealm warriors. He knew that once they got started in a battle, things could, no _would_, spiral out of control. They would descend into madness and probably destroy all of Vaeternus, taking orders from no one while at it. But that hardly mattered to either Ermac or Noob so long as Chi was killed and Outworld soundly seized under their reign.

"I will summon a portal from your realm to Vaeternus at the time of confrontation. Have your men at the ready in about a week." Noob instructed. _  
_

Havik nodded and the two beings shook on it. Ermac inclined their head in agreement and for the first time today their mood improved. Everything was falling into place. If all went accordingly, the emperor would not stand a chance and he'd finally attain his goal.

* * *

He hadn't changed at all, which was comforting considering what had happened last night. I'm still not even sure about what I saw. That's why I knew I had to come down here before I left, to check on my little friend. While the whole village was packing up and heading to the mountains, he was sprawled out on his pallet snoring softly.

His family's belongings must have been packed by his mother or sister because they were leaning up against the door of the hut. His sister let me in, and she must have known why I came because she lead me straight to where he was still sleeping. I took a seat across from him and tucked my legs underneath me.

He still had that innocent look about him. I wanted him to stay that way. I brushed my fingers across his forehead and he began to stir. His eyes fluttered open slowly and he tilted his head over to me. Blearily he rose on his elbows and tried to focus.

"Toya?" he whispered.

I smiled and shook my head. "Not quite,"

His eyes widened once he heard my voice and he moved so fast I couldn't stop him; he had dove over to me and wrapped his lanky arms around me in a tight hug. Maybe it was a good thing I didn't get the chance to stop him. Hugging wasn't so bad, as long as it's with the right people. I embraced him for a little longer and then pulled back.

"Are you okay?" I asked, "Cause you really scared the shit out of me last night."

Barely there was his blush but it was there. He smiled sheepishly and rubbed at the back of his neck. He rocked back onto his heels.

"Last night I, um, I just passed out. From not eating." he explained with his eyes downcast.

I frowned, "How long had it been since you last ate?"

He shrugged, "About eight days."

I rolled my eyes and sighed in disapproval. "Why were you starving yourself, Elan?"

"I wasn't starving, I was fasting. It's part of the ritual." he mumbled. He fiddled with his hands.

I reached forward and took his hands into my own. "What ritual?"

He looked away and I brought his chin to face me, "It's okay, you don't have to tell me. Were those glowing lights part of the ritual, too?"

"Sort of," he answered evasively.

I frowned. Elan was being awfully secretive. It was starting to make me wonder what _really_ went down at the lake last night. But I wouldn't pry. We all had our personal things not to be shared with anyone else, I knew especially. I just hope this secret of his wasn't gonna hurt him in the long run.

I dropped his hands and framed his face with my palms. He blinked straight at me curiously. He was still so. Cute.

"Elan," I spoke, "Make sure you take care of yourself, and your sister and your mama. I might not see you again and if I do it might be a very long time from now; I want you to know that I appreciate you. For being my, um, my friend. You are a special." I stopped and blinked back tears.

I was getting emotional at the oddest of times, "You're special," I repeated, "And I'm glad I met you. I'm gonna miss you."

Elan looked mildly horrified, "Mileena, you're leaving? But you just got back!" he protested.

I let him go and rubbed at the corners of my eyes with my fingertips. "Yeah, I know, but I got some things I need to take care of. Dangerous things." I said wryly.

His expression tore at my heart and brought rise to a lump in the back of my throat so I stood up and got ready to leave. He stood as well, and hugged me again. He rubbed my back and told me that he'd miss me. And then I felt moisture on my shoulder. That's when I knew I had to go. If I didn't get out that hut, Elan would be my undoing.

"Don't forget about me," Elan smiled brightly, but sadly, "I love you." he added.

His eyes were still wet. He looked about ready to cry. He was only fifteen, and so much had happened to him. He had so much pressure on him as one of the youngest warriors in his tribe, he had gotten caught in the middle of an attack on the village, he was having to leave his home behind and after all this was over, it might not be there anymore. Yet he still found reason to show me that beautiful smile. Because I was his friend.

I smiled weakly back at him, "I could never forget about you, Elan."

He grinned and walked backwards back into his hut. Behind him, Toya shut the door. I couldn't read her expression and didn't bother trying. I was feeling like putty now, all mushy and weepy. I needed to clear my head. I saw Sonya making her way towards me and sighed in relief. If anybody could sober me up, it was her and her no-nonsense attitude.

She caught up to me and grabbed my forearm, "There you are! I've been looking for you; didn't Stryker and Jax tell you-"

"They told me," I cut her off.

She huffed and asked, "You're still leaving, right? Or did you change your mind?"

"No, I'm still going. I assume Raiden is taking me?" I remarked.

She nodded. "Yeah, he's waiting for you now."

She and I strode briskly through the bustling village and didn't say a word to the other until we'd made it to the outskirts. It didn't surprise me when I saw that Tvari and several men from the village were there as well. He looked me over and shook his head. I winked at him and he rolled his good eye.

Raiden was up ahead with a portal already formed. I stepped in front of it and took a deep breath. Sonya released my arm and patted my shoulder.

"Are you ready?" she asked softly.

I frowned, "Not really. But does it matter?"

"No, I guess not." she said, "Don't forget to keep in touch with me. I want you reporting in every night, got it?" she ordered.

I smirked, "Yes ma'am."

Raiden hadn't said anything until now. "Mileena, it is possible that both Kitana and Liu Kang have reached the palace by now. I sent them on a mission to locate the demigod Rain just yesterday." he informed me.

I didn't like the sound of that, but I'd work around it. I was about to step through the shimmering blue portal but Nightwolf's voice stopped me. He was calling my name. I turned round and saw that he was approaching the three of us, and he had something in his hand.

It was his satchel. "Mileena, take this." he told me.

He hung the woven strap around my neck and then embraced me. With his head buried in the top of my head he squeezed me and whispered,

"Be _careful_. If anything does not feel right to you, forget about the mission and come back to me." he whispered fiercely so only I could hear him. His voice rumbled next to my ear.

In that same soft but commanding low tone he told me, "I know this is important to you, but if you feel you are in danger, _come back to me." _

He pulled back and gripped my shoulders, then gave them a firm shake, "Understand?" he spoke loud and clear.

I frowned but nodded. He let the fervent lines of distress fade from his features and leaned down to kiss me. It was definitely a goodbye kiss. He had cupped my face sort of desperately, and moved urgently against my mouth. And when he let go, I felt fucking robbed. Of his warmth. Of the security his strong arms provided me. Of his love, his unconditional love most of all.

It was terrible and it made me want to back out. Now, here, at the very last minute. But I did what I had to do, and I stepped through that portal; backwards, though, so the last thing I saw were his heavy eyes, they were so sad, just like Elan's. But they were also strong. And that was it.

I was on the other side. I was in a whole other frame of mind. I had a mission to complete, and I was all about it.

* * *

So much time had been wasted in that town of France that Kung Lao scowled every time he thought about it. He and Jade had been told to investigate the origins of some otherworldly distress calls but the results of that search had proven to be unfruitful. Not only did they not find any hard evidence of other creatures like Ermac or Rain having been there, they were given the run-around just to get there hands on a solid address of the person who'd made the calls in the first place; apparently, because neither Jade nor Kung were OIA officials, that information was strictly confidential. It had taken all two days for the tiring ordeal to be over and now the two teammates were riding in the back of a government vehicle on their way back to the hotel they'd stayed in. It was late and they were both exhausted from traveling and ready to go to bed.

Kung Lao yawned and blinked slowly with his head resting in his palms. His elbows had been digging into his thighs during the long car ride but he didn't feel like changing positions. No position was actually comfortable in the compact vehicle anyway. Jade was sitting primly with her hands clasped in her lap and her gaze straight ahead.

"Aren't you tired?" Kung Lao asked her.

She nodded, but didn't say anything more. That's how it was between them. They only spoke to each other when they absolutely had to and when they did it was in a formal, polite way. Kung Lao had tried to use his humor to break the ice, but the bodyguard remained aloof. After a while he had just given up.

What he didn't know, was that Jade had so much on her mind and her busy thoughts were inhibiting her from interacting too much with him. She was incredibly worried about Kitana and wished it was she who could have gone with her instead of Liu Kang. She knew that the arrangement was something her friend wanted, since she obviously admired the Chinese monk, but she still wanted to be there for Kitana. So long she had protected the princess that now it was a subconscious habit for her to worry about the woman when they were apart. She could only hope that Quan Chi hadn't gotten her, or some other malady hadn't befallen her. A long time ago she had been charged with Kitana's life, and that vow hadn't gone away. She knew that Kitana was a formidable fighter and could take care of herself but still, Jade was almost physically sick thinking about the things that might have happened by now. She couldn't wait to get in touch with her friend and put her mind at ease.

Kung Lao, sleepy as he was, had his own worries eating away at him. He didn't want to abandon the Wu Shi Academy to join this alliance, and it only made him angrier now that he'd wasted his time making rounds in Brittany when he could've been defending his fellow Shaolin. At least at the Academy he would've been of use, instead of going on blank missions like he was now. He could only pray that the place was safe and that Chi had not returned to demolish it. He was also concerned for his best friend. He already knew that Liu Kang was incredibly powerful and could defend himself against many foes, but Kung Lao had faced the sorcerer recently and had almost lost his life. The thought of having his neck twisted by his own hands was one that still gave him nightmares even after the attack. Quan Chi had gotten stronger, so strong that even Liu didn't stand too much of a chance against him, not alone. Kung Lao shivered and tried to get off of those negative line of thoughts.

He tried once more to strike up a conversation with the woman next to him. It looked like she had a lot on her mind as well. Maybe they both needed a little distraction.

"How long have you known her?" he started out cryptically.

He wanted to pick a topic that would engage her, make her answer in complete sentences and not just in stiff 'yes' or 'no's. The only thing that came to mind was her relationship with the princess. It was something that he'd been wondering about for a while.

She blinked at the question and asked, "Excuse me?"

With a nervous chuckle Kung Lao clarified, "Kitana, the princess. You two seem really close. Have you known her long?"

Jade nodded. "Many years. I was assigned to various duties in the palace where she lived when we were both children, and when I got older, I was tasked with being her personal guard."

Kung Lao nodded and tipped his hat. "Ah." he said, since he was at a loss on what to say to that.

What could he say? _Well that's very interesting, Jade_; that would be a lie. It wasn't really interesting at all. Jade had rattled that reply off like a fact, she hadn't added anything personal or intriguing. He didn't want to offend her by telling her, so he just kept his mouth shut.

To his surprise, Jade kept the conversation going, "How long have you known Liu Kang?"

With a grin Kung Lao responded, "Aw, it's been so long. We've been together since we were kids, too. He and I met at the Academy. He was this shy, quiet kid and I was the wise-cracking troublemaker. I don't know how we connected, but I'm glad we did. I remember, one time, I used to be so jealous of him. He was good, you know? But then I got to know him, and he, uh, he wasn't so bad at all."

Jade smiled fondly and although Kung Lao knew she wasn't really smiling for him, just at him, he still felt good inside. _He_ had brought that sweet curve to her lips, _he_ had taken the creases of stress out of her lovely face; if only for a moment.

They fell into another lapse of silence, but this one was more bearable. It wasn't heavy like before. And while he began nodding off several minutes later with the driver complaining about the number of lights he was catching, Kung Lao glanced over at Jade. She had drifted off to sleep against the door. That same faint smile was on her lips.

* * *

It took him by surprise, seeing his servant again after so long. He had begun to have his doubts, what with the lack of communication from either one of his subordinates, but somehow this one had proven to be of some use yet. The enhanced sorcerer placed a pale hand on the shoulder of the half-naked prince. He didn't bother asking about the Edenian's lack of clothing since he had more than once caught him on the palace grounds without proper dress.

The Edenian rose now that he had been acknowledged and Quan Chi looked him over. Still the lean, bruise-less warrior he had been when they last saw each other.

"You were given custody of Mileena," the emperor intoned, "Where is she?"

Rain held his head high and said, "She got away from me."

Quan Chi frowned deeply. He really needed to get his hands on that woman. It vexed him that Rain couldn't hold onto her for only a few days.

"Where have you been then? Tracking her down, I hope." he remarked.

Rain lied and answered, "Of course, my liege. She has joined the ranks of Ermac and Noob Saibot. The last I saw of her was at the shaman Nightwolf's village."

Startled, Quan Chi rose a brow, "What is it you spoke of Ermac and Noob Saibot? What ranks do they possess?"

Suppressing his smirk Rain replied, "Ermac has betrayed you. He is plotting with Noob Saibot to overthrow you and take over Outworld for himself."

"How did you get this information?" Chi asked suspiciously.

This was certainly another surprise; if anyone were to defect, he'd thought it would be Rain. However, he had little faith in Ermac seeing as he hadn't spoken to or contacted the host in gods know when.

"I infiltrated their alliance and garnered information to bring back to you, my liege." he responded.

"Hm. I suppose this sort of mutiny can only be expected." Chi murmured. "What did you say about Mileena?"

"She's with the shaman Nightwolf, my liege." Rain repeated.

Chi had not heard of such a shaman. "Why is she with him?"

Rain told him, "She seeks a cure from the curse you placed on her; this man is able to give her one."

Chi was again unsettled. "Is this the same man who resurrected the monk Liu Kang?" he demanded to know.

Rain wasn't exactly sure but still answered in the affirmative. "The very same, sir." _  
_

"Then I'll have to pay he and his village a visit in the morning." he said darkly.

The emperor then spoke magnanimously, "Rain, you have served me well. For that I will overlook your many failures. I had half a mind to hang you, but I have since reconsidered."

"Your task now is to retrieve Mileena. Leave in the morning and don't return until you've found her. Do not harm her in any way or my wrath will be upon you; is that understood?" the emperor asked gravely.

Rain looked down and away blankly. "Yes, my liege."

Quan Chi meant what he said; if Mileena was damaged in any way when Rain brought her to him, he wouldn't hesitate to kill the demigod. He had put up with too much from the Edenian and that would definitely be the last straw. If anyone were going to hurt Mileena, it would be the emperor and he alone. He wanted to personally see to her torture and ultimate 'reprogramming'. He didn't plan on killing Mileena, that would be a waste. He could see so much potential in the woman, and he intended to bring it out even if he had to use a little mind control to do so.

"Your next mission," he told Rain, "will be to locate Ermac and Noob. Find them and kill them."

Rain stiffened. He tried to mask the panic but it was too late; Chi had already seen the prince's terse reaction.

"Is there a problem?" the emperor challenged.

Rain blinked and swallowed hard, "No my liege."

"Good." Chi nodded. "You have your orders, you are dismissed."

* * *

Kitana and Liu shared a look; it was as if they had to make sure the other had heard everything as well. Both of the teammates were crouched outside the ornate doors of the throne room. They had heard the entire exchange between the two beings and were shocked and overwhelmed with what had been said. They didn't even have time to process the information because those same wooden doors burst open and they rapidly stood to their feet. This drew the attention of both Rain and Quan Chi. It was obvious they had been caught doing something they shouldn't have.

"Out of my way," the moody prince scoffed.

Rain had walked right by them and hadn't thought twice. In fact, the only thought on his mind was why they were blocking his path. But Quan Chi was different. He strode out of his throne and came towards them with a distrusting glare on his face. Kitana and Liu backed up warily and gripped their spears.

"What were you two doing by that door?" the emperor demanded. "Why aren't you on guard?"

Neither of them had an answer and that only heightened Chi's suspicion. He narrowed his eyes at them and grabbed at their masks. Kitana raised her hands to block his, dropping her spear in the process. It clattered to the floor along with the black and white visages that were keeping her and Liu's anonymity intact. There was a pause as the two teammates stood exposed.

"Did you think that you could fool me?" Chi bellowed upon seeing who was under those masks. "I don't know how you got in, but you won't be leaving alive," he threatened.

He seized both their necks and drained a chunk of their energy, then tossed them to the marble floor below. Liu Kang's back hit the far wall in opposite direction of the doors. He slid down onto his side and coughed. Kitana had fared better than he; she was thrown right near the gaping double doors. She locked eyes across the room with Liu.

"Go!" he yelled. "Run!"

"Rain!" Chi bellowed in turn.

When the demigod arrived at the door Kitana had already risen to her feet and bounded off down the hall, around the corner.

"The princess," he told Rain, "Find her and kill her." he ordered.

Rain nodded curtly and took off.

Quan Chi approached the monk and Liu Kang's expression hardened.

Liu knew that there was a good chance he was done for. That was fine, so long as Kitana got away. He struggled to stand only to have Quan Chi bring his booted foot down in the center of his already aching back. Liu grunted and wriggled under the emperor's weight and with a nasty frown the sorcerer kicked the monk in the side of his head.

A guard ran up to the door and Quan Chi cried, "Reveal yourself!"

A burly, hairy faced man stared back at him, confused and about to pee himself for having brought on the emperor's ire. When Chi saw that it was just another guard, he beckoned the man near.

"Take him to the dungeons and put him away. I'll deal with him later." he grimaced.

The guard bowed and hoisted the unconscious monk over his shoulder. As he made his way down to the cells, he caught sight of the shirtless prince leaping out of a window. The guard gaped and shook his head; he'd seen stranger things.

* * *

Kitana forced her trembling legs to pump harder as she fought to break free of the palace. She had fled through the same tunnel that had taken her here. She hoped the emperor wasn't behind her. A million scared thoughts were running through her mind and she was quickly becoming dizzy. Still she ran. She tripped in her heels in the dark tunnel and busted her mouth. Her knees were scraped and wobbling but she picked herself up and kept running. Sucking on her bleeding bottom lip she blinked back stinging tears and banged her shin on the bottom step. At least she had found the stairs.

She didn't know that Rain was about to cut her off. He knew about the secret passageway, he had used it himself on occasion, and he knew that if he jumped from the dining hall window it would take him directly to the entrance of the tunnel. As he free-fell from a few stories up he berated himself for not just teleporting instead.

Kitana had just climbed out of the hatch when something hot and heavy and sweaty landed on her back. With a pained shriek she fell onto her stomach.

"Get off of me!" she snapped angrily, her resolve strengthening.

She was so close, she had to make it back to the others, for Liu's sake. She wrestled out from under the groaning Edenia and finally got up. Foolishly Rain grabbed at her ankle and she reached back and kicked him as hard as she could in the nose.

_"Bitch!"_ he growled while cupping his bleeding face.

He hissed after rolling onto his agonized back; it felt like his entire spine had shattered against Kitana's. He definitely should have teleported.

He glared at the princess as she made her escape. Perhaps he could have stopped her. He could have used a coil of water to trip her, he could have then fought her and forced her into submission and then could have brought her back to the emperor but what was the point? He already got his nose smashed in and his back broken in half when he fell, so why would he subject himself to more pain by that woman's hand? He wasn't serving Quan Chi, not really, so what was the point?

"There _is_ no point." he confirmed aloud, "Damn woman."

Limping and with his pride smote Rain stalked back into the palace and sought refuge under the steady spray of a hot shower.

* * *

**A/N: Another short chapter, but it's necessary. The next one will have Mileena, Sonya, Raiden, Kitty Kat, Scorp, and Nightwolf. Probably Rain too, since he's important to the plot.**

**Please give me any kind of feedback whatsoever, I really appreciate it! Thanks for all your advice/help/comments/etc so far! And thanks for reading!**

**~DymondGold~**


	30. Exhausted

**I should be flogged for taking so long to update. I really do apologize; I hope nobody got bored and left. **

**Disclaimer: I own nothing related to the Mortal Kombat franchise.**

* * *

**Chapter Thirty**

* * *

Scorpion poked and prodded at his finished machine. Like a statue it stood against one of the damp cave walls. The spectre examined every inch of his creation and could not detect any flaws. He had worked hard and long on this project, he had spent time, Koins, and plenty of energy, and that was all fine because what he'd gained was much more valuable.

The cyborg that had once been dead a couple of weeks before was now fully restored, with a few added modifications of course. Scorpion had no access to the specific technology that the Lin Kuei generally used on their automated assassins, so the spectre had to make do with what he could get his hands on. Thus the robot didn't quite look as it once had.

Bright white was his shiny new coat of armor, for one. It was the only color in stock of a specially, chemically compatible line of paints that wouldn't interfere with any component of the robot's external machinations. The armor covered the slim expanse of the cyborg's chest and back, as well as its shoulder. The helmet was also comprised of the glistening shade of paint, and also pure titanium from its temples and forehead on up. There were two slants in the front of the helmet that served as ocular units, and loose axial cables extended from the top of its skull to the middle of its back. Plates of the same pale color were strapped to its forearms, elbows, knees, and shins; there was a loincloth as well, serving to protect the robot's delicate internal hardware since its core processors were located there instead of at the predictable location of its heart. Since there were no core processors crowding up the cyborg's thoracic cavity, Scorpion had room to add a more personal touch. An opening hatch and harpoon launcher were installed, consequently.

There was a mess of wiring underneath all that white armor that had to be contained in lightweight steel pipes. The pipes had been specifically molded to resemble the form and structure of mortal limbs. Even the razor sharp metal digits under the robot's custom made black gloves had been painstakingly shaped by the meticulous spectre. Scorpion figured, if he was going to put in any effort with his creation he might as well go the whole nine yards. He had covered the piped limbs with a stretchy, fibrous, shock-resistant material that resembled spandex but worked much more efficiently. There was not a thing wrong with his project, and that was reassuring since he had no time to fix anything last minute, not with the deadline of his attack on the emperor pressing at his back.

_Now to think of a name,_ he thought to himself. He tapped his chin and glanced around the cave. Many things were strewn about since the last time he'd been here. He had stayed at his task for days, painting and carving and engineering the last touches and had not gotten the chance to pick up after himself. He was a spectre, not a slob, his Shirai Ryu heritage had instilled cleanliness in him. But the current condition of his latest abode told another tale. There were empty paint cans with the brushes still wet within them and a pair of broken pliers and several small screws littering his 'work station', which was a wooden foldable table he'd been using. The slab of rock that was his 'operating bed' was right next to it and was covered in oil stains: Making sure that his robot was well lubricated had been a pain in the ass.

But at least all his toil had paid off.

The machine was programmed under his control and would take orders from no one but him. Scorpion had even gone so far as to place the Shirai Ryu logo onto the back of its white plated armor so that all would know the robot belonged to him. All that was left for him to do was name it and the installation process would be complete. He glanced around the messy cave again and his gaze hooked onto a plastic cable bundle package. The empty polyethylene still had its adhesive _LTZ-45 _label stuck to it, and Scorpion shrugged. The name was as good as any.

He stored the information away and the robot lit up. Electric currents circulated through its gears and Scorpion watched the robot stand at attention with one digital hand clenched in a fist over its chest and the other a few inches away from its hip.

It was ready.

"At ease," Scorpion commanded, "Stay here." he added.

Obediently the cyborg rested both hands down at its side and stood like a sentry near the wall. Scorpion nodded appreciatively and strode over to the mouth of the cave. He gave his robot a stern look and realized it probably couldn't interpret looks.

So he told it, "Do not move until I return."

The robot, if possible, went even more rigid. With a sweep of hellfire Scorpion teleported from the caves to the bowels of Netherealm. He had to get in touch with his...well, he didn't exactly know _what_ the wraith was to him. Not really an ally or a colleague, but similar to one of those things.

Scorpion navigated through the fiery realm and came upon a startling sight. Not only did he see Noob Saibot, which was who he came to speak with, but he also saw hundreds, no _thousands _of hellish skeletal imps and decomposing mortal bodies all lined up and covered in an eerie green silhouette. The glow was coming from none other than Ermac, who was in the air, and while levitated he had both hands and arms extended to the mass of zombies down below. The host looked to be out of sorts.

_That's right, _Scorpion thought to himself while standing off to the distance a few feet away, _Ermac can't stay in the Netherealm for too long. It messes with his head, or something like that. _

Scorpion wasn't entirely sure what the case was, he hadn't made it his business to find that out.

_But maybe I should; might come in handy if I ever have reason to defeat him, _Scorpion mused.

Swiftly the host whipped their head around to where Scorpion stood and glowered. The thoughts weren't exactly a threat, but when Ermac picked up on them they didn't like the sound of it. Ermac never got on too well with Scorpion; the spectre wasn't an enemy but he sometimes rubbed them the wrong way. Without any explanation Ermac formed a lime portal and left.

Scorpion hadn't missed the malevolent glare the host had sent his way. He had no qualms with Ermac, but he had no problem fighting them if it came down to it, either.

"Well if it isn't _you_," Noob jeered with his arms folded, "What, did you come for more money?"

Scorpion was suspicious of what he'd witnessed. _I know that Ermac and Noob are planning to overthrow Quan Chi, but I don't know how they plan on doing it. How does this army come into play? _he thought with a frown.

"What is all this?" Scorpion asked.

He gestured to the blank-faced creatures; well, some of them still had faces while others...not so much. Noob uncrossed his arms and chuckled.

"Wouldn't you like to know." He stated sardonically.

Scorpion narrowed his white eyes and repeated, "What _is _all this?"

Sensing his ire Noob sighed and shrugged, "Well if you _must_ _know_, this is only one of aspect of Ermac's multifaceted ploy to kill Chi."

_So this is a part of their plan, _Scorpion realized.

"He's empowering these creatures to fight against the emperor's own undead army." Noob further explained.

Hm. The information was nothing Scorpion couldn't have figured out on his own, from what he'd seen, but he just needed to be sure. One can only believe half of what they see, if even that much, after all. He still had a couple of questions for the wraith, however.

"When do you plan on attacking Chi?" he asked, "And where?"

Noob paused. He really shouldn't be giving out those details. But Scorpion had been such a good help to him down here. Still, he couldn't just impart that kind of information; Ermac would be furious. He really should consult with his partner first. But what the hell.

"In about a week," Noob drawled, consequences be damned, "Ermac and I will stage our attack in the realm of Vaeternus."

"Vaeternus. Of course." Scorpion murmured.

The realm was an oft neglected one and although Quan Chi had it under his control, he didn't really take measures to see to its governing. In fact, Scorpion had heard that the sorcerer had placed one of his minions in control of the barren land.

So only a week? That was all he had? The Hellspawn had to be gathered and brought to Vaeternus immediately then. The sooner he familiarized himself with the terrain the better, because it was a surprise attack he sought to enact. He would need to know where to lay in wait. He wanted the emperor to be just as caught off guard as his clan was. He clenched his jaw and balled his fists at the lies he had been fed by the emperor. Never again would the treacherous snake see the light of day after the spectre was done with him.

* * *

Escaping from that cell was child's play; the container had obviously been made for a lesser man. Its bars were as butter beneath the monk's heated fingertips and quite easily he had broken his way out of there. Now he need only find the exit.

At the end of the dank, narrow strip of grimy walkway in between the two rows of cells was a short flight of stairs that led to the main floor of the palace. If he was not mistaken, there were two or three guards on the other side of the door so Liu prepared himself for a fight.

None came.

Liu stepped past the unmanned door and blinked in the fresh light of the palace. It was early evening now, but even the dull lights of the setting sun through the windows shone harshly on his sensitive eyes. He'd been in the dark cells for who knows how long, lying on his side, comatose. With one hand he shielded his eyes from the abusive rays and tried to make sense of where he was. Unfortunately, he had no idea how to get back to the bedroom. Sighing, he rolled his shoulders and adjusted his hair out of his eyes, back into his top-knot.

Walking carefully and sticking to the walls Liu padded on the balls of his feet throughout the empty halls. The more he tread over the polished marble floors, the more anxious he was to get out of there. Hurriedly he rounded another corner.

_This looks...kind of familiar, _Liu thought uncertainly as he approached the western wing. He could see doors on the left and the right, just like how it was earlier when he and Kitana had snuck in. Liu remembered that the largest bedroom had to be the master bedroom, so he chose to warily stalk up to the last door on the left. Frequently he checked behind him even though it was eerily quiet.

He held his breath and pressed his back flat against the wall right next to the door. Near the crevice below the hinges he guided his ear so that he could detect any noise or indication of someone being in the room. He heard nothing. With his heart thrumming in his chest he inched around the door and let his foot make contact with the slippery white flooring. He could immediately see he had made a grave mistake.

It the wrong room: that Liu could instantly tell. The bed was giant enough, but it was blue and gold when it should've been red and the furniture was in different places than in the other room. That wasn't the worst of it, either; not only did he enter the wrong room, he had inadvertently woken up its sole occupant.

Panic seized the monk and he stood rooted to the spot. He clenched his fists in the doorway and readied the flames beneath his sweaty, clammy palms. Liu contemplated running but if the demigod was anything like the rumors foretold, he wouldn't get very far.

In the bed Rain sat up and blinked his eyes as hard as he could. He was not at all pleased at having been woken up right after he'd just drifted off. One long hot shower and a bit of meditation had really gotten him loosened up so the demigod had anticipated a nice night of rest. He glared at the rigid form of the disturber of his sleep and sat up slowly. The silky blankets pooled silently at his waist.

"Have you come to kill me?" he asked candidly.

Liu Kang swallowed and shook his head.

It was pretty dim in this room, but even so Rain could see there wasn't a trace of subterfuge on the Shaolin's lightly tanned face. Having established this, the demigod deduced that the monk had broken free from the dungeon and was now trying to escape. Whether or not he was successful was hardly any of Rain's concern. The demigod rolled over onto his side, turning his back on the confused monk.

Liu Kang just stood there, waiting for some spring attack. Surely Rain was going to do something...right? He _did _work for Quan Chi. Didn't he?

"What is it you're waiting for?" Rain griped. "Leave already."

Liu blinked and furrowed his brows, "You. You're not going to-"

Rain frowned at the wall across from him before shifting in the bed again. He rose up on his elbows and leveled the warrior with an impatient contemptuous glare.

"You wish to escape the palace, don't you?" he spoke shortly.

Hesitantly Liu nodded.

"Then _go_." Rain ordered simply while lying back down.

Liu Kang was highly disconcerted by the Edenian's behavior but he had to seize the magnanimous opportunity he had been allowed. No need to look a gift horse in the mouth, after all. Quickly he backed out of the room with the slumbering prince and released a breathy sigh at this latest stroke of fortuity.

Liu's heart gradually calmed and he stepped assuredly down the hall. There was no resistance to his leaving this place. Rain had chosen not to pursue him, and there were no guards stationed about to hinder his escape. Confidently the monk strode through the empty corridors. As he rounded another corner, things took a turn for the worst.

"Leaving so soon?" the emperor drawled.

His voice reverberated off of the castle walls. Liu had walked from the western wing right into the throne room. It was probably the only other room in the building that he could recognize. He cursed his sore luck. After evading one conflicting situation he had bounded into another. Somehow he doubted Quan Chi would be as lenient as Rain, so he slipped into a defensive stance.

But behind the looming figure of the emperor was a strange, but welcome, sight; the immense stained glass window sported a giant-sized hole. The gap was big enough for him to leap through without any trouble, and he had no problem landing no matter how far down the fall took him. He need only find a way to get past the six-foot sorcerer and then he'd be free.

Said sorcerer began stalking towards Liu with a sardonic smirk, the same from earlier. Liu stepped back, but noted that he was getting farther away from his exit. The sorcerer was still a few feet away, but that distance was diminishing.

"You ought not even fight." Chi advised, "My power far outmatches your own. Spare yourself the humiliation and surrender."

"I don't think so," Liu Kang murmured, keeping his almond eyes on the broken window.

Chi took no notice of where his opponent's gaze lay and continued to advance. He crossed his own arms and sighed.

"I suppose I'll have to find a new cell for you, seeing as how you've broken through the first." the sorcerer mused.

Liu narrowed his eyes, "That won't be necessary."

With both arms outstretched Liu Kang shot a gust of flames towards Quan Chi and took off towards the window. He streaked across the polished marble floor and could see his destination getting closer with each pounding step. His own breath was the only sound in his ears. That suddenly occurred to him as he sprinted through the expanse of the room; he didn't hear Quan Chi pursuing him. He didn't hear Chi at all. That couldn't be good.

Liu prayed in his head that his fear was misplaced and kept running. He was almost there. Bits of glass crunched under his boots. He was not even five feet away now. He prepared himself for the impending launch, readied his knees to jump.

And jump he did. Right through a swirling green portal.

It had appeared seconds after his feet left the ground and only when he was already airborne did Liu Kang lament taking that leap. He traveled headlong into the portal and ended up on the other side, which opened over the ceiling of the throne room. Liu dropped a staggering twenty or so meters from the high roof of the room. Liu Kang was able to twist his body and landed in a crouch. Unfortunately he was on the opposite side of the window, too far away to repeat his actions and get away with it now that Chi knew what he had in mind.

Speaking of Chi, he stood near the crouching monk with a displeased frown on his pale face. He turned his wrist and the portal over the window vanished, as did the one on the ceiling. Down at Liu Kang he impassively stared.

"You impress me Liu Kang," he intoned. "But you refuse to align yourself under me, so I have no choice but to kill you."

"You speak as if it will be easy,"Liu Kang mused as he rose.

Quan Chi didn't reply, but he didn't attack either, so Liu took it upon himself to initiate the battle. He knew that projectiles wouldn't work against the emperor so he swarmed in fast with blows aimed for the tall sorcerer's head.

Quan Chi effortlessly evaded Liu Kang's skilled fists. He still didn't lay a finger on the monk. In fact, he kept his hands clasped behind his back while he ducked and dodged Liu's rapid attacks.

A roundhouse kick cut through thin air as the emperor dipped his entire upper body parallel to the white stone floor. The kick left Liu's left leg vulnerable as it was stationed on the ground and Chi swung his foot out below to trip the monk.

Liu Kang fell back onto his palms but used his momentum to spring right into his signature bicycle kick routine. Instead of pummeling at his adversary's chest Liu Kang's flying feet phased through the wispy, transparent image of the sorcerer. Liu landed confusedly and was immediately kicked in the back as the last of Chi's smoky visage faded away.

_Since when did he start doing that? _Liu Kang thought on his knees. He winced at the pain of Chi's foot in his back but barrel-rolled out of the way of the emperor's second boot coming down hard.

Whipping his body around hurriedly Liu was forced to advance and swing at his enemy at the same time since Quan Chi was steadily backing up and still dodging every hit.

_It's like he's predicting my moves, _Liu thought in distress, _either that or he's just moving at a ridiculously fast pace. _

Finally tiring of being on the somewhat defensive, Quan Chi rose two fingers with precision towards Liu Kang's heart and let a sickly pale green slime emanate from his digits onto the black fabric of the warrior's suit. Instantly Liu scrambled away but it was almost too late.

The green slime burnt like acid through the durable fabric and Liu hissed through clenched teeth as it ate away at his flesh. Red and mottled was the entire area below the monk's exposed neck. But that didn't last.

To both the beings' wonder the redness ebbed, the tattered flesh closed in on itself before their very eyes. Relief flooded Liu's injured chest and all that was left of his previous wounds was a sticky smattering of blood and pink, stain-like scar. Liu and Quan Chi met eyes.

"Interesting," the sorcerer murmured.

Liu was amazed. Shocked. A little bewildered. Then he remembered what Nightwolf had told him; this sudden regeneration was an effect of the Regenesis technique, and it would only last so long. Liu hoped it would continue to work in his favor since the special suit that was supposed to protect him had failed.

From across the room Liu Kang flew intending to make contact with some part of the emperor's body but again he phased right through Quan Chi. But Liu was prepared this time and grabbed the emperor's leg before it could strike him.

Quan Chi chuckled, definitely not a good sign. He pointed past Liu Kang's head and Liu turned. In that moment two things happened, seemingly at the same time.

One, Quan Chi yanked his leg from Liu Kang's hands. And two, _another_ Quan Chi punched the monk square in the face.

The crude blow sent Liu reeling in the opposite direction, right towards the first Quan Chi. He kicked Liu Kang in the neck with the back of his heel and his double kneed the Shaolin in the nose. Liu clutched his face for a moment and was left open for the first Chi's next attack, a swift elbow in the gut.

Now Liu was brought to his knees. He smeared his fist across his sticky sweaty face and steadied his bloody palms on the slippery marble floor. More blood, mixed with saliva, dripped from his mouth as he panted heavily. He narrowed his eyes. He would not give up.

Liu flipped backwards difficultly and avoided a blow to his already sore abdomen. He staggered to his feet and spit out the tangy, thick contents of his mouth beside him. Quan Chi shook his head minutely.

"You're beat, Liu Kang." he declared.

Then he was gone.

Like a phantom he sank through the solid ground and Liu frantically looked around in search of where the emperor would make his next appearance.

"Ah!" he cried out.

Both his ankles were dragged out from beneath him. Had it not been for his intense reflexes he would've busted his chin on the stolid floor. Instead, he stopped himself with his hands under him in a push-up position.

Quan Chi still had a hold on his ankles and swung Liu into the opposite wall. Liu's reflexes failed him, however, and he banged his shoulder by trying to turn and kick-off from the wall at the last minute. With an agonized groan Liu crumpled on his side.

"You've lost," Quan Chi again announced.

This time the monk did not rise. His arms were quivering badly and his shoulder was dislocated. Busted and bruised were his lips and his eye was going to be black in the morning. If he lived til then.

Bravely he glowered up at his enemy and heaved each breath out against his aching ribs. Quan Chi reached down and took him up by the throat.

_Impossible, _Liu Kang seethed, _Not a scratch on him! _

"I'll not kill you yet," Quan Chi spoke, "I want your lover to witness your demise. That is, if she isn't already dead."

Too upset for words Liu Kang snarled at the mention of Kitana being harmed. She had to have gotten away, he couldn't allow himself to believe otherwise right now. One of them had to survive, and Liu wasn't so sure it would be him.

* * *

Being in Outworld really brought back memories. Not the good kind. Memories of being under the will of Shang Tsung and Shao Kahn. It makes me feel. It makes me want to. I don't know. I can't put into words, not even in my head, how I feel when I think about how they used me. There's a lot I can't recall about my time spent under their control, and when I tried to force forth memories about what drove me to actually _want _to serve them in the first place, I get a headache. It's so frustrating. It's like there's these little snippets of my old life lying around in my brain, but when I try and access them they hop away out of my reach like. Like.

"Like fucking rabbits." I whispered aloud with a frown.

I'd been doing that a lot today. Talking to myself, that is. Not fucking rabbits. It helped pass the time. And the time did pass.

Nonstop I walked and jogged and ran alternately to where I was now, which was roughly five miles from the palace. It had taken hours but I think I made excellent progress. I should reach my destination in about an hour.

_You should stop, _a still voice advised.

It was the voice of self-preservation speaking. The other, malicious one hadn't been speaking to me for a while. I wasn't complaining.

"No. I've come to far." I frowned, "Don't make sense to stop now."

_Your body will give out on you, _it warned.

"My body's fine," I scoffed.

Actually it wasn't. So strained and leaden were my legs that each progressive step was a struggle. My soles both felt raw and my kneecaps quivered if I stood still for too long. There was a deep-set mark on my neck from carrying the satchel all day and my back was in terrible shape. A rest would be good, but a rest would only set me back. I need to at least reach the palace, then I'd stop and camp for the night. But not a moment before then.

"I can handle this." I told myself.

Yeah, I was a little dizzy from not eating anything and my throat was parched, but I could handle it. One day wouldn't kill me.

"Just a few more miles." I whispered.

The satchel was my motivation. Only when I stopped would I look inside. I would've opened opened it earlier but my curiosity hadn't outweighed my desire to fulfill this mission, and as the hours passed by I made a tacit vow not to open the bag until I'd arrived at the palace. It would be my reward.

Now that the sun had gone down, it was getting cold. These shorts weren't doing a good job of warding off the chills from my body and neither was this cutoff shirt. If they hadn't gone numb a few minutes ago I'm sure even my toes would be feeling the drop in temperature. If the seasons here in Outworld were as I remembered, it should be late autumn; I was in for one hell of a night.

The muddy ground of the forest squelched under my black moccasins and low-hanging leaves and branches left dirty trails of water on my arms, legs, and cheeks. It must have rained earlier. Not all of the ground was wet, however, and I chose a rare dry patch past a canopy of trees to crash. I literally collapsed to the ground and lay on my side. It was a nice place to rest, here at the base of a wide-barked tree. I made a pillow out of my arms and just lay there.

Then I heard somebody coming.

The telltale crunch of branches and leaves was enough to jolt me into action. I sprang to my feet and yanked my sai's from my belt loops. I had them at the ready while the footsteps got louder, closer. Adrenaline surged through me. No longer was my body asleep. Poised for attack I stood while the mystery creature tore through the brambles. I threw one of my sai.

Noisily the metal rod clanged against another set of blades.

"_Gods_, Kitty Kat, you scared the _shit_ out of me!" I cried.

Maybe her heart was beating as fast as mine because my twin didn't speak a word as she, like me, lowered her weapons. She blinked rapidly and bent down to tuck the fans back into her boots.

"Mileena?" She whispered incredulously with her eyes and mouth widened.

I was freaked to see her too. Kitana handed me the sai that had fallen from being deflected off of her fans and I slipped both of them back into my belt loops. Now that the surprise had worn off, my earlier fatigue came settling right back onto my shoulders and I slumped to the ground tiredly.

"I'm glad to have run into you," Kitana spoke in a rush, "Terrible things have happened. Liu is captured and I need to get help and there's an attack coming to the village and Rain is hunting you and-"

I held up both my hands to stop her. She was talking a mile a minute. There was no way I caught any of what she'd just said. Plus I was nearly brain dead from pushing myself to my limits today.

"You need to sit down. Take a deep breath. And repeat what you said; make more sense this time around." I suggested.

Kitana gazed warily down at me and scrunched her brow. She reluctantly sat cross-legged like me and did as I instructed. In through her nose she breathed with her eyes closed and out of her mouth she pushed a huge gust of air. Kitana fluttered her eyes back open and I lifted a brow.

"Now you were saying?" I prompted.

My neck was too tired to even support my head, so I leaned back against the course bark of the tree behind me. A breeze passed bringing with it more cold air and we both shivered.

"Liu Kang and I were sent on a mission," Kitana began slowly.

I remembered Raiden mentioning this earlier. "What mission?"

"We were sent to locate Rain." she explained. She smoothed her hands over her lap.

I frowned. "Did you find him?"

"Yes." she answered with her head down.

"Then what's the problem?" I wanted to know.

Even in the dim light of one of Outworld's moons there was evidence of exhaustion painted across Kitana's face. Her lip was bruised or busted and her skin was chalky and flushed. She seemed incredibly stressed out. Since her partner wasn't here, I guess this was what was bothering her.

"We were disguised as guards, but were soon discovered." she admitted. "I managed to escape, but Liu Kang was captured."

"By Rain?" I guessed.

"No," she shook her head, "By Quan Chi."

Like a veil her long black hair fell forward over her cheeks as Kitana bowed her head. She crushed her lips together and narrowed her eyes. It appeared as if Kitana had been traveling for hours as well.

I looked away from her to the dull greenery at my side. Pasty and Rain were at the palace. This is good. I know now that this wasn't a blank trip; Scorpion had told the truth. Which made me wonder again why he had divulged that information to me, but whatever.

"So where are you going now?" I asked my twin.

Kitana clasped her hands and answered, "I'm not sure. I need to find a way to get in contact with the others."

And speaking of getting in contact, I suddenly glanced at the black device strapped onto my wrist and sighed. It was the communication thing Sonya had given me. I was supposed to check in with her every night, and had almost failed to do so.

"This thing," I showed Kitana the watch, "is supposed to link me directly with Sonya."

Kitana stared curiously at the black watch, "Really? Can you contact her now?" she asked

I nodded. "I think so."

I pushed and held one of the buttons until the watch started to beep. There was a crackle, and then the feminine voice sliced through the otherwise quiet night air.

"Have you reached the palace?" Sonya's muffled voice implored.

I leaned over my wrist and replied, "Not exactly. I'm almost there. You won't believe who I ran into."

There was a pause on her end before her inquiry sounded off, "Who is it? Who's with you?"

"Here, I'll let her talk to you." I spoke clearly over a yawn.

Kitana dipped her head over my outstretched arm and hesitantly mimicked my actions. She didn't look sure of what she was doing at all.

"Miss Blade?" she asked while looking up at me unsurely.

"Princess Kitana?" Sonya responded.

Kitana's brow smoothed and she stated more confidently, "Yes it is I."

"What's going on? How did your mission go?" Sonya asked.

"Not so well, I'm afraid." Kitana murmured.

Sonya said, "I didn't catch that: could you speak up?"

"Liu Kang has been captured by Quan Chi," Kitana said loudly. "We have to help him, and quickly." she proclaimed urgently.

Sonya was silent on the other end. We both waited for her to come back onto the line but after a minute passed she still hadn't responded.

Thirty more seconds passed with no sign of the strong woman's voice.

"Sonya?" I called into the tiny device, "Sonya can you hear me?"

No answer.

"Maybe it's out of batteries," I frowned.

Kitana's face fell in dismay. "Out of batteries?" she repeated confusedly.

I shrugged. Even I didn't know what that really entailed, but I had heard plenty of mortals say that when something stopped working. It was a lame excuse but it was the only one I could come up with at the moment. Either that or we had lost signal with her. Oh well. She knows about our situation, and that's what matters.

Kitana tore her eyes away from the watch with difficulty. The way she stared at it made me feel like she was trying to mentally will it to begin functioning again. She met my eyes at last.

"And what are you doing here?" she quietly asked.

Uncrossing my legs and reaching forward to grab my toes I stretched my sore back until it popped satisfyingly. Slowly I bent my body back upright and rolled my neck. Without a trace of fear I told her I planned on going to the palace in the morning. She gasped.

"You're going alone?" she whispered disbelievingly.

"Who would I go with?" I retorted.

"You can't go there; Rain is hunting you." she warned.

I laughed, "And you think I'm scared of him?"

She prudently crossed her arms across her chest and said, "Mileena, I don't think you should underestimate him."

I rolled my eyes tiredly, "I'm not underestimating him. I've just dealt with him before. I can handle him."

"And what about the emperor?" She then asked.

"I can handle him too." I countered.

Kitana didn't look at all convinced but she murmured, "I hope you can."

I had no idea why Kitana was concerning herself with my welfare. It's not as if she cares, right? I was fine on my own. Besides, I still had Sonya to fall back on in case something really bad happened, like if Pasty tries to kill me or if I get thrown in a cell like the monk. Although I'm starting to wonder how reliable Sonya is, seeing as how she had yet to return to the conversation. Once more I tried paging her but before I could jam in the little button her voice came through.

"Raiden is on his way to come and get you Princess Kitana," she informed, "I've tracked your location and sent him your coordinates. He'll transport you back here to the village with the rest of us. We'll figure out what we can do to help Liu Kang from here." she buzzed.

Kitana actually smiled now, "Thank you," she spoke gratefully next to my wrist.

I pulled my arm back up to my mouth and said, "Alright, I'm gonna need you to stay quiet from now on. I'm headed for the palace tonight instead of in the morning."

Sonya said, "Tonight? Are you sure you still wanna go? You could come back with Raiden and Kitana if you'd like, and wait for us to form a plan of action. It might not be wise to go in there now that he has his guard up." she advised.

"I'll be fine." I assured her. Assured _myself_, more like it.

"Okay then." Sonya replied, "Let me know how that goes."

"Yeah whatever." I said noncommittally.

"Mileena, what do you plan on doing once you arrive at the palace?" she wanted to know.

I told her, "I'll try and keep Pasty distracted and see if I can find out his plans."

"You believe he'll tell you?" She admonished, "Mileena he's ordered your death. He'll kill you before you can get in the door."

"I don't think he will." I muttered, "But even so, that's a risk I'll have to take."

Her face let me know she saw neither logic nor good sense in my decision and I really wanted to understand why she bothered worrying herself over me. It was obvious that we weren't allies or friends or anything like that. So it was hard to see why she cared.

"If you insist on going in there," Kitana relented and stood, "Take this suit." she ordered.

With her fingers gripping the zipper below her chin it was clear to me what she intended to do; disrobe. But why? What was so special about her suit? It looked normal enough, albeit really tight and uncomfortable.

"It'll protect against low-level radiation and it's also fireproof and extremely hard to cut into." she explained. "So I was told." she added.

I stood up with her and stilled her hand. "Um, keep the suit. I don't think a piece of clothing will do much good against Pasty."

The truth was I didn't want to change clothes. These were special to me. They reminded me of a home I almost had. Kitana didn't seem to take offense, she just wiped her hands on her hips and nodded.

"Yes, you're probably right." she amended. "But I still don't have a good feeling about this. I really think you should return to the village. Perhaps even join our alliance."

"I already told you no." I scoffed. "And if I didn't know any better, I'd say you were worried about me." I finally got it out in the open.

Kitana didn't react as I imagined she would. "I am worried about you." she admitted.

"Why?" I immediately shot back.

She had, at first, no clear answer, "I'm not sure. I just don't want you to get killed. Not when there's so much good in you waiting to be manifested."

I didn't believe there was any such goodness inside me at all but I let the matter drop and focused on what was important: getting to that palace. Too bad I was still so tired. And I still hadn't seen what was in this heavy satchel. It wasn't really much of a burden earlier, but now it felt like dead weight around my neck.

Giving my twin a once-over I adjusted the sack to the other side of my body and blinked the sleep out of my eyes. The night was still somewhat young and I had some serious walking to do.

"Well I guess there's nothing more to say." I stated in parting.

Kitana smiled softly, "There is one thing; you be careful."

"Alright." I awkwardly said, "Um, you too."

And then I turned in the direction adjacent to her and began the first few steps of the five mile journey that would take me to the lair of my enemy.

* * *

**A/N: This isn't very long or eventful, its purpose is mainly to set things up for the next part and get myself back into the flow of writing. Again, sorry for the awful wait! **

**Just out of curiosity, what do you readers think about the nature of the relationship between Mileena and Rain? **

**Next chapter will be in tomorrow, so stick around! Until then...**

**~DymondGold~**


	31. Forfeited

**Wait sucked again, sorry. :/ **

**I sincerely apologize, hope this isn't putting people off the story. It's hard from me to find time to update now, I'm busy with school. I'm doing my best, please bear with me. I haven't given up on the story, just need to find time.**

**Disclaimer: None of the themes/characters/settings belong to me, it's all Netherealm Studios' property. **

* * *

**Chapter Thirty One**

* * *

"Are you certain this is the right-"

"For the last time, _yes_ I am certain. I believe I am capable of interpreting a simple map."

"Hm. With all the dead ends we've been hitting I am not convinced."

They were at it again, much to Kintaro's distress. That was the only downside to traveling with the pair of Shokan elite. Arguing put him in a bad mood. Hearing other people argue put him in a bad mood as well. And when he was in a bad mood he tended to get aggressive. But he was holding in his anger, because even though he was a fearsome and brutal warrior, he knew how to control himself. Most of the time.

He used to serve under Quan Chi, like many others, until the day came when the emperor turned on him as well. He was left to rot in a pit by the same sorcerer he had faithfully followed. His entire race he believed to be dead, until he was discovered and rescued by Sheeva and Goro. Although his particular breed of Tigrar were among the lower class in their society, neither Sheeva nor Goro treated him as such. He had their respect, and they his, if only until things returned to normal.

That wouldn't happen until they could revive some of their fallen brethren, and _that _wouldn't happen until they could find this mortal shaman rumored to be able to perform such a feat. It had been hours and yet it didn't look like they were any closer to locating him.

"This is the place, I am certain of it!" Goro insisted.

Beside him Sheeva rolled her slitted eyes. "That's what you said last time."

Kintaro looked around him slowly and sniffed. He smelled, for the first time since they'd been trekking through Earthrealm, natural scents. The leafy trees and dirt and brambles and wild animals were refreshing to his sensitive olfactory organ. So violently he was assaulted with the crude polluted air here and it was nice to find that not all of the realm reeked that way. He could even smell clean water up ahead.

"There's a lake coming up." Sheeva announced. "Should we rest there?"

This only confirmed what Kintaro had sensed just now. Both male Shokan nodded in agreement in response to her suggestion and the three continued walking through the Arizona woods. Little did they know, they were not alone.

Not for the first time the General's youngest soldier had been overlooked, discounted. Early this morning Tvari had stationed various men to their current duties, be it protecting the women, children and elderly at the base of the mountains, standing guard in the evacuated village, or acting as border patrol all along the boundaries of Nightwolf's territories. It was high noon now and Elan was left with nothing to do. Fervently he had protested and begged his General for even the lowest, most menial task but he was granted none. To make matters worse, he had been saddled with his four-year-old nephew Ishton. His hard-headed, loudmouthed nephew Ishton.

He loved his little relative dearly, but today he had wanted to be alone. No matter. With the baby on his back Elan had journeyed from the cramped caverns to the peaceful, placid lake. He had sat upon its shores intending to relax, and with his back to the woods he had not even noticed his little nephew wandering off. But someone had. Well, three someones actually.

"It's a little human," Sheeva observed with intrigue.

The tiny child was dressed in naught but his cloth bottoms and was barefoot. His dirty thumb was wedged deep in his mouth and so curious were his wide, dark eyes. Unkempt and straight as a pin his hair was as it brushed his tawny shoulders and only a few feet tall the boy was. He showed no fear as he approached the furriest member of the Shokan trio.

With his free hand extended and his index finger pointing, the child exclaimed, "Kitty!"

Maybe if Kintaro had been aware of just what the boy had called him and what its meaning entailed, he might have been offended. But as it was, he was merely confused.

"Kitty!" the child cried again, grinning around his thumb.

"It's skinny," Goro noted disinterestedly, "Too skinny to eat."

"Let's keep moving." Sheeva remarked.

Before they could, Elan came bounding out from the lake in search of his nephew. He lamented ever taking his eyes off of Ishton because now he couldn't find him. Once he came upon the trio of Outworld beings he froze.

Never had he seen something so frightening in all his life. With more arms and legs between them than was ever really necessary the three stood tall and imposing and glaring down at him. Well not glaring, just staring quite intensely. Swallowing hard, Elan opened his arms and Ishton came climbing into them. Once he had his nephew on his hip Elan backed away. Slowly. Cautiously. He felt lucky to have retrieved Ishton; if anything were to happen to the boy Toya would raise hell. Silent, bloody hell.

"Wait!" Sheeva ordered.

Instantly Elan stopped. Ishton wrapped his arms around his uncle's neck and pointed to Kintaro again.

"Kitty!" he said again.

Though strikingly feline, Elan could hardly agree that that...thing...was a mere kitty. He clutched his naive relative tightly and turned to the female who had spoken to him. Sheeva rested two hands on her hips and crossed the others at her chest.

"What region is this?" she implored.

Elan frowned. "Region?" he repeated.

He couldn't think straight with those creepy golden slit eyes boring straight through him. Impatiently she clucked her tongue and it was Goro who addressed the boy next. Taking a furtive glance at the parchment in one of his hands he read over the map carefully.

"Is the the land known as," Goro made a face, "Arid Zone?"

"Arizona?" Elan asked.

"Is it?" Goro snapped

Elan nodded. He didn't trust his voice at the moment.

"And is there one among you called Nightwolf?" Sheeva then asked.

"There is." Elan answered. "He is my chief."

Sheeva and Goro exchanged a look. Kintaro felt completely out of the loop but was used to this; he never bothered with the affairs of the two Draco so long as they allowed him to accompany him.

"Take us to your chief then." Sheeva demanded.

Elan hesitated. Last time he invited foreigners into his home the entire village had paid the price. He didn't want to be responsible for so much chaos, danger, and destruction but it didn't look like he had much of a choice. The three Shokan were eyeing him expectantly. Elan backed up again and shifted his nephew on his waist.

_If I don't take them to the chief, who knows what they'll do, _Elan thought, _And if anything happens to Ishton, Toya will..._

He shuddered just thinking of the hell his older sister would raise.

_They might kill me, but that shouldn't matter when it comes to the safety of the village. _He frowned, _But if they kill me, the village would probably get destroyed anyway if it truly is their mission to destroy it. Either way, there's nothing I can really do to stop them,_ he dismally concluded.

With a heavy sigh, he turned to the newcomers and tightened his hold on his nephew's hand; the one that wasn't up to the thumb-knuckle in the child's mouth.

"Come with me." Elan told them. He hoped his actions weren't dooming everybody else. He really didn't know if he could live with himself were anything like last time were to occur.

* * *

Groggily and with an ache in my back I awoke late in the morning. No, it had to be at least noon. The sun was high in the sky, bearing down on me and my sensitive, crust-caked eyes. Furiously I wiped at them.

"Shit!" I muttered.

At least I felt better. After standing and stretching and popping that joint at the base of my spine and rolling the kinks out of my neck, I felt tons better than I did yesterday. Amazing what a little rest could do. I was still hungry and thirsty, but at least I had the power to walk the few more miles. But first.

"Let's see what's in this bag." I mumbled.

I guess I just dropped off last night, literally, because there was dirt and small splints of wood in my hair. The side of my face felt like it had an imprint from laying against the ground too long. And I had a feeling that was a bug I just spit out. Ah, well, what's done is done. No use freaking out now. I tousled my hair free of all the debris and brushed myself off from my shirt and shorts down to my legs. Then I took my seat amidst the brambles and bushy grass that had served as my bed.

With my legs crossed I dusted off my thighs and pulled the satchel from over my shoulder onto my lap. It had gotten progressively heavier as the time passed. Now I just had to find out what was in it. Carefully I lifted the fuzzy flap up and spread the bag open to behold its contents.

The first thing I saw was a slim glass canister, one that was commonly shoved in the top shelf in Nightwolf's kitchen. It was fully stocked with strips of dried meat. I set the jar on the earthen floor next to me with a smile and kept searching. There was a pair of shorts and another of his shirts that I'd altered. Those, too, I set aside. Two canteens full of water, that toothbrush he gave me a while back, his own smooth wooden comb, and a blanket I pulled out next. I clearly remembered that thin, flannel blanket being on the bed he and I shared. It was rolled up tightly and stuck at the bottom of the satchel. Having pulled out all the items, I took a moment to just look at each and every one of them.

"Nightwolf." I whispered.

Something else caught my eye. It would seem I missed a piece of light brown parchment inside the satchel. I plucked it out and unfolded it. So messy but so familiar was his handwriting on the surface of the creased and wrinkled paper. It was another of his notes.

_Mileena, _I could hear him say to me.

_I don't know where you're going to be traveling or for how long, but I hope this helps. I put in almost everything I thought you would need. Some things I could not fit or did not include because I don't want to slow you down. _

His next words were personal, and just reading them made my eyes sting.

_I won't plan on it, but if I never see you again_

My throat caught and I blinked hard.

_Know that I love you. Mileena I love you. I tell you this so much because I want you_

Rapidly I blinked again and crushed my lips together.

_to know how much I mean it. You will always have a place by my side, as my wife and as my friend. Nothing will ever change that. _

Willfully I kept the wetness behind my eyes at bay and refused to give voice to that ache far in the back of my throat.

_You are the most precious thing in this world to me. Take good care of yourself. Be careful. I love you. _

Staring down at the lifeless black blots of words on that paper made my vision dull. No, it was probably the cloud of moisture blurring my vision. But not for long. I blinked one hard, good time and the silent sob wracked through my body, making the warm slippery sadness slide down the tops of my cheeks all the way down onto the letter my head was bowed over.

I couldn't look at it anymore. I folded it back up and stuck it in the satchel. But that didn't stop the tears. I swiped at my face but more watery trails prevented my face from drying. I had to get it together.

Deeply I breathed in and let out not only hot air but also a whimper. Didn't know I could cry, whimper like this but here I was, doing it. Again I breathed in.

_Have to get to the palace. Have to stop Paste-Face from getting to the village. _These thoughts calmed me down.

I breathed out.

_Need to focus. Gotta eat, build up some energy and get to the palace. _The ache, the tears slowly faded. In a few moments more, they were gone completely. Lightheaded and with a final sniff I inhaled and exhaled. It was over. The. Whatever that was, had passed.

I stared straight at nothing for a couple of seconds before I truly got back to business. Need to eat, drink, get on the move. I reached for the jar of meat and started stacking the other items back into the satchel mechanically. I closed my eyes and rolled my shoulders.

"Alright. I got this." I told myself.

No more breaking down, it was costing me time and time was precious.

_you are the most precious thing in the world to me _

"Focus" I gritted my teeth against the wispy words floating in my head.

I couldn't think about that letter right now. It was fucking me up real bad. I almost lost control and I almost lost my nerve. That letter made me want to just. Just pack up and go back, forget all about my mission. And that I couldn't do.

Detachedly I unscrewed the lid from the container and picked out four strips of dried meat. It tasted like venison. Smoky and flavorful and coarse.

Morosely I chewed and grabbed into the bag for a canteen of water. I uncapped the top of it, it looked to be made of some animal's skin, and I took a ginger sip. The warm liquid went down slow. Bite, chew, sip. I wasn't really feeling it, just doing this so that I could get some energy. I tried my best not to think too much of how it tasted so much like...home.

After I'd finished with that, I placed the jar and canteen back into the satchel. Looking around me, I determined my location and calculated how long it would take me to reach my destination. About an hour at most. I couldn't make the entire trip last night, but I had gotten pretty close.

With the bag back on my shoulder and my hunger abated, I set out on a steady pace towards the main estate. Clear as a slate was my mind. That was how I needed to keep it if I wanted to complete this mission.

* * *

They couldn't see the dark marks under his eyes. Not with his red-trimmed white war paint on. Nor could they see the effects of his lingering depression. He forced himself to carry on the facade of the strong, fearless chief for everyone else's sake. It was what his people needed, what the budding alliance needed in their unofficial leader. He couldn't allow them to know of his inability to eat or sleep properly. He couldn't let them know how sick he'd made himself worrying about her. His love. He had to carry on in his duties as chief no matter how much it grieved him to be apart from Mileena.

And it did grieve him so.

But quietly he bore the pain and continued on in life as if nothing were the matter. No one could tell that he was even bothered by what was going on around him, and that was how he wanted it to stay.

"So who we waitin' on?" Major Briggs asked.

Like his partner, the officer, and the other members of their confederation he had been summoned this afternoon to the village square. Upon arrival, they all saw that Nightwolf was already there with his wolf pelt adorning his head. He called the meeting after hearing from Sonya that the thunder god would be returning shortly with the monk Kung Lao. Save for the two of them, everyone else were back in one place and it was the perfect time to reconvene. Nightwolf was told very little about what went on last night; all he knew was that the princess' mission was a failure and that Raiden had been sent to retrieve her. He hoped more would be explained to him soon. As soon as the thunder god returned.

Kung Lao and his temporary partner Jade had also returned late last night. They hadn't spoken to the chief either, they had went straight to bed upon arriving back. But this morning Kung Lao had requested a visit to the Wu Shi Academy, and Raiden had so generously obliged him. Nightwolf found he could relate to the younger monk's anxiety. He knew what it was like to be worried about his people, after all.

"Hey Nightwolf, you hear me?" Jax asked again as politely as he could.

Nightwolf glanced in his direction and answered, "We are waiting for Kung Lao and Lord Raiden."

Among his allies there was a sudden tension. Jax balled his fists and frowned. Sonya narrowed her eyes and straightened her back. Jade and Kitana both frowned as one and Stryker didn't know what to make of what his eyes were seeing. At first, Nightwolf couldn't understand why everyone had become on edge, nervous all at once. Then he looked around.

It was Elan.

His presence was no cause for alarm, but the three figures trailing behind him easily explained everyone's terse reactions. Nightwolf approached his youngest soldier and laid a hand on his shoulder.

"What is the meaning of this?" he asked.

Elan had apology in his eyes, but before he could reply one of the visitors spoke up.

"On behalf of the Shokan race," Sheeva declared, "I would like to have a word with the one called Nightwolf."

The chief, with a nod, dismissed his warrior and Elan left with his nephew in tow. Kintaro watched the child go, curiously. While in his uncle's arms, Ishton waved at the fearsome Tigrar.

Nightwolf ignored his wary allies and acknowledged the female who'd spoken to him. He stood tall, proud, and crossed his arms.

"I am he. What is it you want?" he asked.

Goro came up beside Sheeva and said, "We have sought you out because we require your abilities."

"We need your help." Sheeva added.

Nightwolf sighed inside. He really should have known. "Go on."

Sheeva explained, "Many of our kind have been eradicated by a deadly technique developed by the sorcerer Quan Chi. However, several of our stricken brethren yet live."

"Journey to Outworld and undo this curse," Goro demanded, "The rumors say you are able."

"In exchange for your assistance, you will gain our loyalty and support against the emperor." Sheeva added with a pointed glare at her prince.

Nightwolf deliberated. "How many of your fallen still live?" he asked.

Sonya found she could not keep quiet. "Nightwolf, you aren't considering this, are you?"

Nightwolf gave her a blank stare that told her he clearly was. She pursed her lips and shook her head.

"To leave now is not a good idea. Chi could be here any day now and who's going to be there for your people if you're in Outworld?" she questioned.

Kitana nodded as well, "How can you be sure this isn't a trap set up by the sorcerer himself?" she asked.

"She's right; he could be luring you to Outworld to kill you." Jade chimed in.

Goro felt inclined to indignantly protest, "This is no trap and we were not sent by the sorcerer!"

"We come in peace, we only seek the shaman's aid." Sheeva proclaimed, defensively crossing her arms; all four of them.

Stryker and Jax shared a look of discomfort and held their tongues. They didn't want to get in the middle of what was going on at all. Nightwolf merely observed. He was thinking of what he would pack for his trip, because he had already made up his mind to go. He had the ability to undo the spell, so as long as he had the power to help he would. If this did turn out to be a trap, which he doubted, he was able to get himself out of it. Discernment was something he did not lack, and he had judged the three creatures to be telling the truth from the start.

"In a show of our good word," Sheeva ground out offendedly, "Only I will accompany the shaman back to our home. Goro and Kintaro will stay and defend these lands."

Neither prince nor Tigrar seemed bothered at all by the arrangement, so Sheeva turned to Nightwolf for affirmation. The chief mulled over the terms. It seemed reasonable enough. He nodded once and then unfolded his arms.

"After this meeting is adjourned, I will ready my things." he told everyone.

Nobody protested. The matter was closed. And right on time, for a streak of lightening and a rumble of thunder foreshadowed the appearance of the elder god and the monk. Like the others, Kung Lao was not at all pleased by the sight of the Shokan.

"What are they doing here?" he frowned.

"Don't mind them," Nightwolf ordered, "They are here to help."

Kung Lao didn't believe that, but he did trust Nightwolf's word. He took up a place beside Raiden in the circle of members and waited for the meeting to begin. Nightwolf first called over one of his men on border patrol.

The warrior was a large, muscular one. "Sir?"

Nightwolf gestured to the Shokan, "Why wasn't I alerted to their presence? How could they have crossed our territory without anyone's knowledge?"

Sheeva prudently answered, "That would be because we arrived via portal. There was no way your men could detect us seeing as how we never bypassed them."

Nightwolf worried about that. If the Shokan could surpass his defenses then so could Quan Chi. But that was a matter to be dealt with later.

"Take them to my quarters. I'll be there shortly." he told both the guard and the Shokan.

Accepting their aid and offering his in return was one thing, allowing them to participate and know of the alliance's plans was another. He didn't trust them that well. Back to the others he went after the guard escorted the 'guests' away.

"You sure about this Nightwolf?" Sonya asked him.

He had to be. Lives were at stake, including his own.

* * *

Everything about the palace was just as I foggily remembered it, except for one little thing. There were no guards this time. None whatsoever. Not at the door where I basically let myself in. None down by the throne room where there used to be droves. And none around the entrances of the Eastern and Western wings. Neither hide nor bald hair I saw of old Paste-Face in the throne room or the dining hall or the kitchens, and not once was I impeded in my search by any black and white masked figures. Weird. I knew from when I worked for Kahn that the master bedroom was in the Eastern wing, so that's where I ended up.

The bed had to be the first thing I noticed. Silky and red were its sheets. There was a bare nightstand and a large window near the opposite wall where I stood in the doorway. A long dresser also stood near the window and a canopy draped from the ceiling onto the bed. It was a nice enough room, but it lacked one thing.

That damn sorcerer.

"Where is he?" I growled to myself.

I looked everywhere, well not the Western wing. But that's where the guest suites are, he wouldn't be there. I suppose I shouldn't count it out, though. I sighed and was about to leave the room, but something knocked against my foot on the way out of the door. It bumped the tip of my black moccasin and rolled noisily under the bed. I was curious now. I got down on my hands and knees and crawled over to the four-poster wood structure to retrieve it.

_It _was a glass bottle, the size and shape of an especially rounded lightbulb. Filled to the brim of its gold cap it was with a translucent pink liquid.

"Pretty," I mused.

I stood back up and swirled the liquid around. Stuck to the bottom of the glass was a piece of white paper folder into eighths. I pried it off gently and unfolded it; it was covered in writing.

_Anti-Deception Serum: 1 drop = 1 min. truthfulness, water soluble, heat resistant_

I guess it was a note to remind the creator of its purpose and effects. This person's penmanship was neat, crisp. Their words were choppy and to the point. It screamed sorcerer in every language. If there was one thing I learned from watching both Shang Tsung and Pasty work and write and discuss their methods, it was that those two are more alike than either of them would admit. Oh, and they're very thorough, the both of them. They don't waste time with fancy words or unnecessary flair. They work cleanly and efficiently, at least Pasty does, and this was just an example.

I looked around the room once more but this appeared to be the only interesting artifact there was. This. Truth Juice stuff. It might come in handy, so I slipped it into the satchel and turned the corner. As soon as I got to the Western wing, I could hear water running. Someone was in one of the suites. The door was ajar, so again I let myself in. The room was very much like the other one, only smaller, but by no means small.

My feet padded onto the marble with each cautious step I took into the suite. I noticed that this bed was also king-sized and had blue sheets instead of red. There were plenty of fine furniture, but only one piece, the dresser and vanity combo adjacent to the bed, had anything on it. I walked over to it and gazed in the mirror. I looked like a wild woman.

It was only my hair and my face, though. I just needed to comb it out and wash the dirt from my skin. My clothes weren't that dirty and although I did have an odor what with all the sweating I did yesterday, I didn't have much residue on the rest of my skin.

Back onto the surface of the dresser I directed my gaze and saw that the few items littering it were indicative of their owner. The dagger was short and plain with a silver hilt. Much plainer than the one I stole from him. The hairband I picked up and ran my fingers along its satin purple threads before laying it back down in a heap. The brush was a bit feminine if you asked me, it was all fancy and lilac and gold and looked too soft to even think of taming the mess that was my hair. And then there was a simple link chain of pure gold as well. By now I had a pretty good idea as to who was in that shower, and knowing them, it'd be a while before they came out.

So I went back down the hall and re-entered the master suite. The bathroom was even huger than the other one down the corridor. I walked up to the sink and turned on the faucet. Letting the cool water pool in my cupped hands, I splashed my face and cleared it of any impurities. Then I dug into my satchel, I mean Nightwolf's satchel, and pulled out the comb he'd packed for me. Gingerly I ran it through my hair until all the tangles were gone. Now I actually looked like a person again and not some she-woman cave dweller.

I wasn't surprised at all to find that, upon my return to the other bedroom, the person was _still _in the shower. Figures. I sighed and made my way over to the bed. Might as well make myself comfortable while I plot how to best manipulate the situation to my advantage.

I ended up daydreaming about Nightwolf though.

Sooner than what I'd betted the running water stopped and the figure emerged from the steaming bathroom. And he was actually wearing pants this time. I half-expected him to come frolicking out naked. No, he had on pants, some slim burgundy cloth ones that were wide around the waistband and disappeared into a pair of tight black boots. There were gold bands on both of his forearms and he even sported a couple of silver rings on his middle fingers.

Such a shame he didn't notice me lying on his bed. I had gotten very comfortable with my arms spread above my head and my legs, one propped up with the other down. I watched him as he flicked the water from his hair and sauntered over to the dresser. In the mirror he craned his neck and searched his face, looking for blemishes I presume. Vain motherfucker.

I scoffed, and his eyes found mine and he froze. He looked me over longer than what was necessary and then dragged his eyes back over to his own reflection. Unfazed, he picked up his 'pretty' brush and fashioned his hair into a ponytail.

"What do you want?" he asked slowly.

I sat up and leaned on my hands behind me. "Where is he?" I asked.

Rain glanced over at my reflection and frowned. "Who?"

"The emperor!" I snapped. "Where's Pasty?"

Meticulously Rain tied the ribbon, excuse me, _hairband_, in his hair. Once that was done he reached for the gold chain. He tried, and failed, to clasp it behind his neck.

"Oh him." Rain remarked.

"Yes, _him_." I curtly repeated, "Where is he?"

"He's not here." Rain answered absently.

I rolled my eyes. Like pulling fucking teeth with this one.

"Where is he then?" I asked shortly.

Rain didn't answer me, he kept fiddling with his necklace. He was obviously having trouble. It was a shame I had to compete for his attention with that inanimate object. I sighed and decided to put an end to his dilemma.

I didn't give thought to what I was doing but as soon as my fingers glided over his he tensed. I swatted his hands away and found both ends of the chain. He frowned in the mirror but didn't stop me. After I'd hooked the chain together I turned and hoisted myself up onto the dresser. I tilted my head coyly and crossed my legs prettily. Rain was interested. Or just suspicious. Either way, I now had his full attention.

"I know you want the amulet." I started.

I didn't know that for sure, but Scorpion told me and he doesn't really lie. Not that I know of at least. Besides, by the look Rain was giving me I'd say the spectre had definitely told me the truth. Rain adjusted his chain and stared me down.

"Who told you that?" he wanted to know.

I shrugged, "Doesn't matter. If you tell me where Pasty is, I could get it for you." I lied.

It would be a frosty day in Hell before I ever did him any favors, but he didn't have to know that. Rain looked offended and frowned at me. He lifted his chin a little higher and narrowed his dark eyes.

"I don't need your help. I'll get it myself." he declared proudly.

I scoffed. "Really? And how do you plan on doing that?"

"I don't have to explain my method to you," He sneered.

_That's 'cause you have no method, jackass_, I thought knowingly.

Out loud I said, "Fine, do it yourself. You'll fail anyway. Just tell me where he is."

Rain appeared to have been ready to retort but suddenly stopped himself. He thought for a minute, stroked his chin, then stalked over to me. I only backed up because of the new glint in his eyes. He stopped and clasped his hands behind his back.

"Listen wench," he began, "I'm going to the emperor's lair right now and I'll allow you to come along." he offered.

"But," I supplied.

"But there are two conditions by which you must abide." he said haughtily. "The first being you give me back my Brittany."

"Your who?" I cocked a brow.

Impatiently Rain explained, "The dagger you stole from me. I want it back."

"What dagger?" I asked innocuously.

Rain was not amused. "You know damn well which one, you thieving bi-"

"I don't have your dagger," I cut him off, "What's your other condition?"

He glared at me but continued. "The other is that you are to be under the guise of my prisoner."

I cut my eyes, "No, not again. I refuse."

"There is no other way for you to enter his lair in a manner that would not raise suspicion," he claimed.

He was still seething mad about his knife. Too bad. He wouldn't be getting it back, not if I could help it. Something occurred to me though.

"Pasty's in his lair? Why didn't you say so?" I asked.

I knew where his lair was, I didn't need Rain's help after all.

"Because it's not the same one." Rain informed me.

Ah. Well on second thought.

"I'm not going as your prisoner." I still protested.

"You don't have to, then." Rain examined his nails, "You _could_ just find him on your own."

He then glanced up, "Either way, I'm leaving."

He only gave me a split second to decide, he was already forming his whirlwind teleport. I grabbed onto his arm before he could completely disappear and was lurched through time and space painfully. This time, I held down my roiling stomach and clenched my teeth against the rising bile. I couldn't remain standing, though. In another land I released Rain's bicep and fell to my knees, dry-heaving viciously. After a couple of seconds more the nausea passed. I glared up at the insufferable prince.

He made a show of dusting his arm off and I wanted to punch him in the face. Weakly I stood and looked around me. I knew these desolated lands well. We were back in the more dismal part of Outworld.

"Pasty's lair is in Edenia?" I guess I was talking to myself for all the answer I got.

Rain dug something out of his pocket, a map. He silently inspected it.

"Oh gods, please tell me you know where you're going," I despaired.

I didn't want a repeat of what happened in the city when we were last together; walking in circles all day.

He raised the paper and said, "What do you think this is for?"

"So even _you_ don't know where it is?" I frowned. "Hm. Pasty must not trust you enough to tell you straight up." I insinuated.

Rain shrugged, "The emperor is paranoid. He's already slaughtered all his guards after the monk and the princess came masquerading as ones."

I blinked. Damn, he killed all his guards? "Where is the monk now?"

Rain shrugged, "He _was_ captured. Perhaps he escaped, perhaps he's been killed, perhaps he's still imprisoned."

"You don't know." I stated flatly.

"I do not make it my business to know." he explained.

Confidently swaggering off, he made it clear he'd gotten the last word. Damn prince was so full of himself. Nevertheless, I rolled my shoulders and followed after him. Hopefully I won't be stuck with him for long.

* * *

**A/N: Thank you for your patience and please keep reading! **

**~DymondGold~**


	32. Threatened

**The revised version. **

**Shout out to all my reviewers and readers in all countries!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing related to the Mortal Kombat franchise, be it settings/characters/themes, or the like.**

* * *

**Chapter Thirty-Two**

* * *

Even with the meeting underway, Nightwolf could hardly get himself to stay focused. Distantly he could hear what the others were saying, but his mind and heart were somewhere else entirely. Raiden was addressing the group, trying to get them to calm down. Everyone was talking about the deal he had just made with the Shokan. He didn't mind helping, and he would stand by his decision no matter their disapproval. He cleared his throat and eventually the others quieted.

"Now that we are all here," Nightwolf said, "Let us begin."

He glanced at Jade, "How was your mission? Did you locate Ermac?"

Jade shared a look with her partner and replied, "No. Our mission yielded no concrete results, just rumors and hearsay about the presence of some malevolent being."

Nightwolf nodded and addressed Kung Lao. "And the Academy?"

"It is as I left it," Kung Lao reported. "Safe for now. But the masters told me something very peculiar."

Nightwolf motioned for him to go on. He had everyone's attention for the time being. Their ire at Goro and Sheeva and Kintaro had been forgotten in the face of this new piece of information. Kung Lao removed his hat before continuing.

"They told me that a couple of days ago they saw Ermac and Noob Saibot speaking with a cleric of Chaos." he said.

"Several monks bore witness to the same sighting," Raiden also vouched.

Both the chief and Nightwolf frowned. Stryker had a hard time understanding the constant talk of realms and worlds and similar nonsense. He couldn't see what this had to do with the recent attacks on his city. For all this he could've stayed back at the precinct.

Brazenly he asked, "How does all this relate to that Quan Chi guy?"

Nightwolf patiently explained, "Ermac and Noob Saibot have formed an alliance, they're plotting to overthrow him. Though I don't know why they have chosen to commune with the cleric."

Raiden stated, "There are plenty of advantages of Ermac and Noob enlisting his aid."

"Such as?" Nightwolf asked.

"This particular cleric has a ruthless lot of warriors under his command; with his legion of thousands he could easily combat the sorcerer's undead army." Raiden said.

Grimly Nightwolf remarked, "I can see how that would be beneficial."

"Among the many drawbacks to recruiting the cleric's soldiers, however, is the inevitable discord they will fall into once they lose sight of the immediate battle." the god stated.

"What do you mean?" Nightwolf asked.

Raiden said,"These warriors have been known to spread trouble not only in their own world, but others as well; mass destruction and violence they wreaked, all in the name of expanding the presence of chaos in the universe."

"Madness." Nightwolf murmured.

"Once Ermac and Noob unleash that kind of force, they won't be able to stop it." Raiden predicted. "Not even Havik himself has complete control over his men."

"Earth and other worlds will be at risk," Nightwolf presumed.

Raiden nodded. "And there is very little we can do to prevent this from happening."

"There has to be something we can do," Sonya insisted.

Her partner rubbed at the back of his head nervously. He didn't want to be the one to say it, but he highly doubted they could stop what was coming.

"We don't even know when or where those two, Ermac and whoever, plan on unleashing the army. How are we supposed to stop it?" he reasoned.

She dropped her shoulders a bit. That certainly made things difficult. Nightwolf had to admit the man was right. They didn't have enough information at the moment. It was best to move on to other important topics.

"Princess Kitana, your mission." He spoke, "Where is your partner? Why isn't he with you?"

Kung Lao noticed that his best friend had not returned with the princess and automatically knew that could not mean well. He was just as eager as Nightwolf to learn of the circumstances surrounding his absence. Kitana was silent a moment, but answered in an unwavering voice.

"Our mission was to locate and incapacitate the demigod, and although we found both him and the sorcerer, we were discovered and pursued. I managed to escape, but Liu Kang was captured." she mechanically recited.

"We have to go back for him," Kung Lao immediately said. "It's what he'd do for any of us."

Raiden nodded, "Action must be taken to retrieve him before it is too late."

Meanwhile Sonya noticed her partner's communicator was glowing on her own wrist. Since she had given Mileena hers, Sonya had to borrow Jax's. It looked like the former hybrid was trying to get in touch with her, so she discreetly slipped away behind a hut. It only took moments for her to exchange words with the other woman and when she returned to the circle, everyone had quieted.

It took a lot of discipline for Nightwolf to stay where he was. He knew exactly who Sonya had just spoken with and so badly he wanted to give the person a few words of his own. But the moment had passed. Besides, if Mileena wanted to talk with him, surely she'd send a message through Sonya. That was what he hoped.

"That was her, wasn't it?" The chief asked softly.

Sonya nodded. It sort of troubled her, the look of pain that dashed across his face for a moment.

She promised Mileena she would keep their communication between the two of them. Mileena didn't trust the alliance at all so Sonya would allow their contact to remain confidential. Mileena had told her, in quite a vivid way, that Quan Chi had left the palace and that she was now traveling with Rain to another of his hideouts.

To the group Sonya said, "I got word from one of my sources that Quan Chi is no longer at the main palace. Neither is Rain."

"Who told you this?" Jade wanted to know. "What source are you getting this from?"

"A reliable one." Sonya replied.

"Does the sorcerer have Liu Kang with him?" Kitana asked.

"It's not certain where Liu Kang is at the moment. He could be in this new lair with Quan Chi, or he could still be at the palace." Sonya answered.

"Then we will go to both." Kitana resolved. "Do you know where his new lair is?"

Sonya shook her head and Kung Lao stepped forward.

"Then we should at least check the one we know of." he stated. "I'll go there now."

"And I as well." Kitana said without hesitation.

Both Kung Lao and Kitana looked to Raiden. He knew what they needed; transportation.

The thunder god didn't spare a moment, he nodded at Nightwolf and the chief returned the gesture. He really did hope that the princess and the monk would find Liu Kang and bring him back. They really couldn't afford to lose him. In a split second the three were gone.

Nightwolf looked around him. Jax, Sonya, and Stryker yet remained, as well as Jade and the Shokan back at his hut. He would be leaving soon as well. He sighed. He didn't want to leave this way, not without even telling his people. But he had to act soon. The quicker he departed, the quicker he'd be back.

"I think it's time I left," Nightwolf said flatly.

He looked to the remainder of the alliance. "What will you all do while I'm gone?"

Jade shrugged, "Stay here, I suppose. If anything happens while you're away, I will do my best to defend your home."

"I'm with her," Stryker said.

Sonya nudged her partner, "We have an ally in China. I think I should go to him, see if he'll be of any assistance."

Jax slowly remembered who it was she was referring to, "You sure about him?"

"I am." she answered.

"Alright. I suppose we need all the help we can get." Jax shrugged. "You want me to come with you?"

"Nah. I'll be fine on my own." Sonya declined.

Jax again shrugged his shoulders and said, "Guess I'm staying here then."

At that moment Raiden returned, alone this time. He caught the tail end of the conversation and said to Nightwolf that he would also stay. He would do whatever was in his power to keep Nightwolf's land and people out of danger.

Nightwolf felt only a smidgen better about leaving, knowing that he had these powerful and dedicated beings watching over his home. He would have to trust in them while he was gone. With a final bow of his head to his allies, he began walking back to his hut where the three Shokan were waiting for him.

* * *

Getting in touch with Sonya had been easy enough, I suppose. I told Rain I had to go relieve myself and snuck behind the trees, far away so he couldn't hear me. After I told her that the main palace was empty and that I was moving towards Pasty's new lair with my old 'partner' Rain, she told me that Ermac and Noob were up to no good and to please look out for Liu Kang if I could. I told her I might. She thanked me for keeping and touch and that was the end of that. I had contemplated telling her to pass along a message for me to Nightwolf, but decided against it.

That happened this morning, many hours ago.

It was late afternoon now. All day Rain and I had been walking together in silence, side by side without a single qualm or harsh word. Only a couple of times we had to stop so he could study the map but other than that we just journeyed across Edenia in relative peace.

Now that the sun was making its downward arc it was getting a bit colder. Not cold, this was Edenia after all and cold could never describe it, but was a little chilly. So in between shivering every few minutes when a breeze swept past and trying to get my legs to move as fast as they did this morning, I was starting to lag behind. Steadily Rain strode ahead of me. Rather than ask him to slow down or stop for a minute, I stubbornly tried to match his rapid pace.

Suddenly he halted.

I had to catch myself to avoid plowing into him. I looked around and saw that we stood on the shoreline of a huge sea; the Sea of Blood. There was a gentle red tide lapping at the dark, grainy sand. It wasn't a stark contrast to the graphic view of destruction further back on land. There were fresh fires burning in the distance, along with destroyed buildings, smoldering rubble, and other remains of homes and temples and even people. Along the beach were corpses. Impaled on sticks, cut in half, sliced open, and sprawled along the ground they were. It gave the whole area an eerie edge. Back out at the sea I saw the sun creeping towards the horizon. Slim grey clouds and a purple hue painted the sky around us. Abandoned netherships and jagged rocks stuck out from the bloody water's depths.

Rain waded out to sea until the thick liquid rose up to his booted calves. He motioned for me to come near. Hesitantly I did. I rubbed my arms up and down and removed my black moccasins. I didn't want to ruin the only pair of shoes I had. Into the satchel I placed them and stepped barefoot into the sticky blood. It really was blood that composed this sea.

"Witness true power," he smirked.

Those were the first words he'd spoken in hours, and such cocky words they were. Nonetheless I folded my arms and dropped my left hip. I wanted to see what it was he planned to do. He saw that he had my attention and turned back to the sea.

A busted old nethership floated nearby. That was his target as he spread his legs and clasped his hands together. With his index fingers pointed towards the sky he raised his arms and yelled out something I couldn't understand. Thunder roiled and banged and lightening came thereafter. Like a glittering ribbon the energy shot down from the sky into the atmosphere. Rain brought his clasped hands down parallel to his chest, then extended them towards the ship. The lightening struck the vessel and wood planks went flying everywhere.

With a satisfied expression Rain flexed his hands and the sky faded back to a violet shade. I glanced out to see and saw that there was nothing left of the nethership, nothing except for the lifeboat. It was still attached to its anchor, even though the ship it was tethered to was no more. I rolled my eyes.

Rain made pulling and pushing motions with his arms. He lithely commanded the heavy water to lull the lifeboat over to us. With a dull thud the wooden thing knocked against the shore. Proudly he dropped his arms.

"Why are you showing off?" I asked bluntly.

Rain rose a thin brow, "Showing off?"

"You could've just did that thing you did last time." I pointed out, "You made that water bridge thing. Why didn't you do that?"

He shrugged, "Didn't feel inclined to."

Brushing past me he stepped towards the boat. Most of the lifeboats on netherships were moderately-sized and could hold about ten to twelve people I guess. This one was tiny. It only had two benches and two pairs of oars. It groaned noisily as Rain climbed into it. He sat down on one of the damp benches and I sighed.

I didn't want to do this, but that hardly mattered. I also climbed gingerly into the vessel and sat across from him. The seat creaked unreliably beneath me and I shuddered. Bringing the satchel from across my shoulder into my lap I glowered at my 'partner'.

"This thing better not fall apart." I threatened.

"Just row the boat." he ordered.

I frowned, but did as he said. We fell into another lapse of silence.

Rowing through the thick blood wasn't easy, though. I got tired. No, that was a gross under statement. I'd been rowing for a half an hour straight; my arms felt like they'd snap off like twigs were I to rotate them any longer. I stopped and massaged my shoulders. Surprisingly, Rain didn't have a problem with this.

With his eyes glued to the map on his lap he kept pulling both our weight. I tried to make sense of the symbols and letters and colors on the parchment but couldn't. One, because it was upside down, and two because I couldn't understand the language it was written in. No, not language, it was some kind of code. I remember Shao Kahn developed a certain code and would send all his generals and me messages in it, but this was a whole other sequence entirely.

Rain lifted his head and saw me inactive, "Keep moving."

I gripped the oars again and flexed my sweaty fingers over them. Against the burn in my biceps I dragged the wooden poles through the water. All my concentration was put into each stroke. _Gods I hope we reach the other side soon,_ I thought desperately.

* * *

When the bottom of the planked vessel finally scraped against the shore I could've cried out in relief. Instead, I dropped the oars and reclined as far as the bench would allow. I managed to take comfort in seeing that Rain had worked up a bit of a sweat as well. I grabbed my satchel and clambered out of the boat.

This side of the sea was not so littered with rotting bodies as the other side. The sand was clearer and there were more trees around. Vegetation was sparse and the trees looked more like stripped poles than anything.

Rain was far on the shore, untying his hair from its ponytail. He wrapped the band around his hand and ran his fingers through his long black locks. I came up beside him dropped the satchel at my feet, then raised both hands above me. I stretched so hard my shirt rose over my belly and that joint at the base of my spine popped.

"We'll stop here." Rain declared.

Gratefully I plopped down next to my satchel on the sandy ground and Rain soon joined me. He sat with his legs spread wide open while I had mine closed and folded across from him. Already it was starting to get dark, and even chillier. I gazed out at the crimson sea and sighed. This wasn't going so bad, I guess.

"How far are we from the lair?" I asked, turning away from the dismal night sky.

Rain fiddled with his hairband, twisting and curling the cloth around his fingers idly. His eyes were on the map in between his legs. Instead of answering me, he kept studying it intently.

"Must be close if _you_ wanna call it a day," I remarked offhandedly.

That's when he rose his head and said, "Not hardly. Our destination is several miles from here."

"Then why did you stop?" I retorted.

Rain shrugged, "You looked more haggish than usual."

"Right." I murmured.

I knew he wasn't doing this, resting for the night, out of consideration. If anything, he just doesn't want to be the one to have to carry me if I end up passing out from exhaustion; who was I kidding, Rain would just as soon as leave me to die than carry me.

Rain finally folded the map up again and put it away in his pocket. He stood and dusted off the back of his pants. Without a word he sauntered off towards the naked woods. I had half a mind to ask where he was going, but found I didn't really care. While his footsteps grew fainter, I pulled my satchel into my lap. The light-colored fur warmed my bare legs. Carefully, like always, I lifted the flap and was greeted by a peculiar little creature. I picked the dull gold scorpion up from atop the flannel blanket and frowned.

Dangling it by its tail, I let it crawl into my palm, then cupped both of my hands together. It stayed put with its long, curved appendage poking the tips of my fingers.

"Where is your master?" I asked in a hushed voice.

I crouched down and leveled my hands with the ground. The scorpion scuttled off and I tried not to step on it as I followed. It ambled over top dead leaves and dry twigs. It kept going and going, and I wondered how it got into my satchel and how long it had been there. Soon, though, I reached the undead spectre and stopped in my tracks. I smiled, not because of him, but because of what was behind him; a hot spring.

Scorpion stood with his feet apart in front of the steaming water. He stretched forth his hand to receive his minion back into his palm, then crossed his beefy arms over his chest. He had on his full armor and smelled strongly of burnt coal. And cinnamon.

I wasn't even gonna ask.

"You want to tell me something?" I inquired.

Scorpion nodded once, "Ermac and Noob Saibot are readying an army in the Netherealm."

"That I already knew," I responded, "You're talking about the Chaosrealm soldiers, right?"

That blank look let me know that was not, in fact, what he was talking about. He actually seemed confused. I think, the white eyes really threw me off when it came to reading his emotions.

"Chaosrealm soldiers?" he repeated.

Sonya clearly stated earlier that Ermac and Noob were planning to unleash the Chaosrealm. I didn't bother asking her any questions about it, I didn't think I'd need to know much more than that. What Noob and Ermac did was their business. I couldn't see how it would affect me at all. If anything, it should make taking down Pasty that much easier. So why did Scorpion seem so edgy all of a sudden?

"Noob and Ermac made some kind of deal with those soldiers," I explained as best I could.

He shook his head but made no other remark upon the subject. He appeared to be displeased with this bit of news. I had a question for him.

"Do you know when they plan to attack?" I asked.

Scorpion replied, "In about a week."

"Where at?" I asked.

"Vaeternus." he answered.

"Yeah, like I know where that is." I muttered.

Scorpion dipped his head, "The traitor knows; perhaps he'll escort you."

"Rain?" I frowned. "Why him?"

"He wants the amulet." Scorpion surmised. "He will follow it."

"Oh yeah," I murmured. "Wait; you told me Pasty knows that Rain wants the amulet, and that he was planning on executing him."

"I was mistaken." Scorpion admitted in a low voice.

"Oh. So he _doesn't_ know that Rain's planning on betraying him?" I asked quietly. "And he's _not _planning to kill him?"

"Not that I know of." Scorpion replied.

I sighed in disappointment, "Too bad."

* * *

Maybe it was intuition or maybe it was instincts; whatever that uneasy feeling was, it managed to keep him alive for centuries so he knew not to disregard it. It usually manifested itself in the pit of his gut right before something incredibly terrible happened. He tightened his grip on the stolen dagger at his waist. It wasn't nearly as reliable as his Brittany, but he would work with it. His muscles coiled and tensed. He just knew someone was behind him. Whipping his body around, he looked to and fro.

Not a soul in sight.

All that he could see were the skinny bark poles and skeletal bushes of the dead forest, and further back was the beach and infamous Sea of Blood. Heavily he breathed and forced himself to calm down. He couldn't dispel the anxiety, however, because his stomach was still roiling with violent anticipation. He rolled his shoulders and slowly turned back around.

"Well hello there."

Rain had been snuck up on plenty of times, and it always affected him in the same way; he shuddered violently and felt as if his heart had been seized by the very same lightening he controlled. He took a breath and stepped back away from the figure who had spoken. Clad in his usual black garb, Noob stood and folded his thick arms.

"It's a good thing _I_ found you first and not Ermac. You would've been dead on sight." Noob raved nonchalantly.

He glanced behind him and then back at Rain. The demigod could hear the telling footsteps of another person not too far behind. It had to be fate or some other divine power at work for him not to have come face to face with the host. Rain counted it as one of his many blessings and needed no further prompting to spur his body into action.

Noob watched the demigod take off and shrugged. He knew Rain wouldn't get very far.

* * *

"Someone's coming." Scorpion intoned.

I didn't see anyone at all, and couldn't hear anything either. Oh wait, I did hear something. Thundering footfalls getting louder with each second. I squinted my eyes and tried to see if I could make out where the sound originated but in the next few seconds I found out: It was Rain. Running at top speed and with his head turned foolishly behind him he bounded right into me. I wish I would've thought to do like Scorpion and just step to the side, out of the way, but I didn't, and ended up on the ground with that heavy prince on top of me.

"Rain, what the hell?" I griped.

I hit my head pretty hard and was seeing little white dots in front of my eyes. Rain rose up off me and had a hard, solemn glint in his eyes. His hair had come loose and with our faces so close it draped down over my cheeks. He furrowed his brow and glanced behind him.

"They're here; they're hunting me. They're here to kill me." He spoke urgently.

I tilted my head in the dirt, "What? Who's here? Who's hunting you?"

Rain started to answer but dropped his eyes down to my waist. First surprise, then anger painted his features. With a deep scowl he reached down and yanked something from my bright red shorts.

"I _knew_ it!" he cried, pulling forth the dagger from my belt loops.

Oh yeah. That. With my black shirt down over my hips, there was no way he could've seen the purple-hilted dagger but now that I was flat on my back with the cutoff black top hiked up over my navel, it was out in plain sight. He held it to my throat and narrowed his eyes.

"I should cut out your throat for stealing from me," he glared, but then said, "It's too bad I have orders from the emperor not to hurt you."

I scowled and retorted, "As if you could!"

He and I were both in the mood to go at it some more, or perhaps come to blows, but a deep chuckle broke through our argument. Both of us glanced from each other's eyes over to where the sound was coming from. Not one but two more figures arrived. Ermac and Noob.

With Ermac I could just feel the malevolence rolling off of him in near-tangible ways. His ire was directed at Scorpion for the time being. The spectre and the host were locked in a stale glower and all of a sudden Scorpion bristled.

"Try that again and you'll not live to regret it." Scorpion growled.

I could only assume his threat was meant for Ermac. That made me wonder what was up between the two of them. What had Ermac done to make that feral hiss creep into the spectre's voice? I could only wonder, though, because Scorpion immediately left the scene in his usual style.

Ermac's wrath was then directed towards me and the prince. No, their glowing green eyes were focused intensely on Rain in particular. I had never seen the host so coldly calculating. I realized what Rain had been trying to tell me. Ermac and Noob had come to kill him.

Rain was breathing shallowly, his breath fanned over my nose and lips. He was close enough for me to tell that his heart must have been pounding. I smirked beneath him.

"Scared?" I whispered.

Rain scowled and rolled his eyes. "Never."

"Whatever," I snorted.

He was totally scared. He had to be. I know if I had to face the fearsome wraith and the host in his current, foul disposition I would be, too. Luckily, the two weren't after me. Or were they?

As soon as I shoved the prince from off of me and stood to my feet, Noob began stalking towards me. He had his hands down by his side but was still coming steadily. I warily backed away and drew my sai's. When he kept coming still, I launched myself at him. So quickly it was embarrassing he had my wrists secured with one gloved hand behind me. He jerked me towards him so that my back was against his broad chest.

"Let me go!" I demanded. "Why are you doing this to me? I thought you came for Rain!"

Noob shrugged, "I just have to be sure you won't interfere."

"Interfere with what?" I snapped.

I wriggled this way and that but couldn't free myself from the wraith's unnaturally tight grip. He had all four fingers closed around my wrists in a bone-crushing, manacle-like vise. It was all I could do just to keep the hilt of my sai's from slipping out of my clenched fists.

Noob didn't answer me, but with his other hand pointed straight ahead. I looked and saw that Ermac and Rain were already engaged in battle. Or something of that nature. I believe a better description would be Rain diving through the ground and popping up in different places and if Ermac was quick enough, they'd get in a few hits. It was nearly impossible to fight Rain while he kept teleporting. I could feel Ermac's frustration.

The fight moved to the shores of the beach and Noob hustled me over there. He kept hold of my wrists, much to my dismay. Once we were at the shore, I saw that Rain had resurfaced and was attempting to manipulate the bloody water. His body moved lithely and in time with the ebbing and flowing of the sea. He extended both his arms and the crimson liquid rose from the depths of the water. He turned and drenched Ermac with the thick, sticky substance.

I cringed. That was just gross. From head to booted toe Ermac was covered in blood. It didn't even bother them, though. They engaged the prince in close combat without even worrying about how wet they were. Rain seemed to be holding his own as well. Until the wraith decided to help.

With his free hand Noob shot out a shadowy black entity from his own body. The thing charged towards Rain and clutched him from behind. With my partner's arms locked in the shadow's embrace, Rain was held forcibly in place and was also rendered unable to teleport as well. He struggled in Saibot's bonds but was unable to free himself. By that time, Ermac had no problem connecting his knuckles, tapered in black cloth wrappings, with the middle of Rain's face. Even from far off I could hear the crunch.

"_Ooh_, and there goes his nose." Noob tutted from behind me.

Once again I struggled to break away from him but was unsuccessful. I didn't want to, but it looked like I had to resort to dirty tactics. I smashed the heel of my foot into Noob's and knocked my head back against his sternum. I may not have done much harm, but I did startle him enough to be able to jerk away. I readied my sai's should he decide to come at me again. He held up his hands._  
_

"At ease, Mileena." He said disarmingly. "As long as you don't interfere, I won't touch you."

He seemed to be telling the truth, so I reluctantly lowered my weapons. With his feet spread apart and his arms now folded, he seemed more interested in the battle than me. I stood beside him so that he was still in my line of sight. I refused to let my guard down.

Noob called his shadowy counterpart back just as the heel of Ermac's boot clipped the side of Rain's head. While the prince cupped his ear Ermac kicked his foot flat into Rain's stomach and sent him sailing into the water. Again I scrunched my lips in disgust.

From the red depths Rain shot back up, seething with indignation. He raised both his hands and summoned long, beautiful streaks of violet-tinted lightening. He was normally such a lousy aim, but not when it came to his elements. He got a direct hit in. Proudly he laughed and sloshed out of the water, his confidence already restored.

It didn't take long for the host to recover, however. Still trembling from the shocks, Ermac shot out his own hand and engulfed Rain in lime light. In seconds the prince was under his control, paralyzed, frozen on the spot.

Noob sucked in a breath disappointingly through his teeth, "Yeah, Rain really shouldn't go for the lightening. Leaves him vulnerable for the next attack."

I shook my head. "Not really. I'd say it was his cockiness that left him wide open."

"Hm. I suppose so." Noob hummed.

Ermac hoisted Rain high in the air and brought him plummeting back down into the sand. If that were me, I would've broken my neck. But Rain, he just rolled onto his back and coughed up blood. I wasn't sure if it was his own or if it was from the sea.

"If I know Ermac," Noob nudged me conspiratorially, "He's gonna go for a real rib-crushing move."

He was right. Ermac levitated several meters in the air with his arms outstretched. Rain groaned and rubbed at his eyes. Faster than a speeding bullet the host came shooting down feet-first. I winced at the sight of the impact of Ermac's full weight crashing down on Rain's chest.

"That sounded. Painful." I mused.

"Oh, believe me, it was." Noob assured me. "Look at him, he can't even get up."

The demigod weakly rolled into push-up position and forced himself to stagger to his feet. Ermac backed away, waiting patiently for the prince to rise.

"Oh, look. I _stand_ corrected." Noob remarked.

I gave the wraith a strange look then shook my head and continued to watch. I couldn't garner nearly as much pleasure from the fight as the being beside me. I didn't like Rain, not at all, and I knew he had this beating coming to him. But I was almost certain he wouldn't survive this fight. And if I didn't have him, I wouldn't be able to get to Pasty in time to stall him from going after Nightwolf. Whether I liked it or not, and I didn't by the way, I couldn't let Ermac kill him. Not yet.

"You think Ermac is gonna kill him?" I asked Noob just to be sure.

Without hesitation the wraith answered, "Oh absolutely. He's dead set on offing him. Which is a shame, since Rain could've actually been quite an asset to us."

Noob looked me over, "And you as well, Mileena. Ermac likes you. He would no doubt take you back into the alliance should you choose to join us."

"No, I don't think I will," I replied. I faced straight ahead again.

Ermac had stalked over to Rain and telekinetically pushed him towards a cluster of pole-ish trees. Before he made contact, Rain dove through the ground and appeared behind the host, having just enouth time to kick them upside their head and send them soaring through the air.

"Roundhouse kick," Noob murmured, nodding appreciatively, "Very well executed."

"Why aren't you helping your partner?" I asked him.

He shrugged, "Why aren't you helping yours?"

"You know damn well I don't do that dick any favors." I growled, "And besides, he's not my partner."

"Oh? Something more?" Noob suggested.

Even though he wore that hood and mask, I could tell he was probably waggling his eyebrows or something of that obnoxious nature. I knew what he was implying.

"Hell no." I gritted out.

"Really? Because when I walked in on you two earlier it seemed like he had finally made his move." Noob trailed.

I frowned, "What is that supposed to mean?"

"You mean he didn't tell you?" Noob asked with something faintly akin to a gasp but not quite.

"Tell me what?" I asked.

"About the dreams?" he continued.

I sported a befuddled look. "What? What dreams?"

"The ones he accused Ermac of plaguing him with," Noob said, "The ones of you." he added.

"He had dreams of me?" I murmured, mildly astonished.

Noob nodded, "They were most intriguing and led me to believe the prince has some unresolved tension when it comes to you."

I could tell where he was going with this and thought I would be sick. No way was Rain having _those _kind of dreams about me. That was just...wrong, on so many levels. Noob had to be yanking my chain. The skepticism must've shown on my face.

"If you don't believe me, just ask him yourself; if he survives, that is." Noob stated nonchalantly.

I looked down and away and tried to dispel what was going through my head at that moment. It had to be some kind of. I don't know, lie. But Noob didn't lie. Or did he? Why would he mess with me about Rain, though? It didn't make sense. I decided not to even worry about it. If Rain did have those dreams, he obviously harbored none of the same feelings since he just threatened me not too long ago. It really didn't bear thinking about.

Without Saibot to hold him down, Rain had started teleporting again. He had gained the upper hand that way, too. Ermac tried to get a hold on him but Rain kept slipping in and out of the ground too quickly. I knew this could not end well, for the prince.

"He's gonna get dizzy." I stated.

"And Ermac's going to get aggravated. If he isn't already." Noob predicted. "Rain is digging his grave deep."

Like a toy Ermac tossed the demigod several yards away. Rain rolled through the sand and landed on his side right in front of me. He pushed up on his palms and rose his head from the ground. His face was so close to my feet in one motion he'd be kissing them. I liked the idea.

It was an effort for him to stand but he did. Eye to eye we were, and I could see that his own was beginning to blacken. Both of them. He pushed his hair from his face and glanced over his shoulder. Ermac was coming, slowly but steadily. I knew what was on his mind, and so did Noob. But before the wraith could send out his little friend, Rain grabbed my upper arm and teleported us away, far away.

I could only wonder why he hadn't done that sooner.

* * *

**A/N: Yeah, I had to fix this chapter, I didn't like how I had previously portrayed the relationship b/w Mileena and Rain. Love/lust was not what I wanted to convey. And plus, I didn't like the interaction I'd done with Ermac, either. Anyway. Tell me what you think of the revisions and stay tuned for the next installment! Until then, **

**~DymondGold**~


	33. Persuaded

**Thanks for all who are still reading! **

**I am bad at consistently updating, as you've all noticed, so it would be best to put this story on alert to keep up with new chapters that I randomly post (just a suggestion). **

**Disclaimer: None of the themes/characters/settings belong to me, it's all Netherealm Studios' property.**

* * *

**Chapter Thirty-Three**

* * *

His enemies were fast. He was faster. They were nimble. He more so than they. A part of the strongest clan in China they were. He had surpassed them all. He had to, if he wanted to survive. They were hunting him, they were always on his trail. Like a shadow, only closer and more persistent. He had no hope of ever losing them, just avoiding their clutches for another day. They would never stop, not until they had him gagged and bound by his ankles all the way back to the new Grandmaster.

His old best friend.

Until that day came, and he direly hoped it never would but he wouldn't kid himself, he was caught in an eternal cycle of kill or be killed. He had gotten used to the killing by now. It didn't affect him as bad as it used to. Not the faces of his associates and family did he see, not anymore. They had all died or been slaughtered by his own hand. Now his pursuers came in the form of steel electronic monsters concocted by the Grandmaster himself.

It was a shame his partner could not have taken the same path to light as he did. Such a pity that his friend got caught up in the movement and lost himself along the way. Had he not been condemned to a life of evasion by that same companion, he might have time to grieve over the lost of their fraternity, but as it was he felt like the only one of the two of them who held any regrets was him. So what was really the point of lamenting their current entwined destinies; he'd asked himself that many times, too many times to count.

All this weighed on his mind early this morning. It was typical. Never was there a time he didn't have these thoughts on his mind. His life was a constant battle and racing thoughts were a part of his daily struggle. Even with his mind in a flurry, he still appeared to be in a state of serenity on the outside.

"Sorry I'm late."

Was she late? He had hardly noticed. Only now did he open his eyes. It was hard being the way he was now, never again could he feel the soft flutter of diminutive hairs over the apple of his cheeks, the minimal weight of the skin of his eyelids resting over jellied organs. He had never realized how much he'd missed that feeling, until he could feel it no longer. He had to settle with having his 'ocular units' alight, signaling his complete activation.

Gracefully she sat down across from him. There were plenty of reasons why she came to him, he could bet. It was too bad he could help her with not a one of them. Before she even opened her mouth, parted cherry lips to speak, he had made up his mind. He was not getting involved in whatever it was she wanted to drag him into.

"I'm sure you know why I came."

No, but he had an idea. He didn't stop her, but he didn't pay attention to her either. His focus was not on her moving lips, her animated hands, her changing features. It was on the people around them. The droves of human beings walking and talking and interacting with each other in the modern, populous city of Beijing. How he longed to be among them.

"We could really use your help."

And there it was. His cue. Now was the time to tell her, to break the news to her just as he had planned on doing from the start. He'd heard not a word of what she said. Didn't need to hear it. His answer was premeditated, just like the set of actions, responses, and reflexes encrypted into his internal hardware.

"No."

It was that simple, mechanical reply that should've ended the conversation. If it could be labeled as such; he was not contributing in the least to what was being discussed. However, things did not go as planned. He witnessed emotions that he could not even name anymore pass over her face before she settled on one. One he knew well from his very own new Grandmaster: anger.

She spluttered some hastened words of reproach, she probably meant to chide him for his refusal or, gods forbid, put him through a guilt trip. It was useless. Not because he had been stripped of such feelings, but because he had voluntarily given them up. Things were less complicated that way.

Once she realized he was firm in his decision, she let passivity wash over her face. He could tell that she had relented. She might not have understood his logic, but he did. Wherever he went, those demons would follow. Who was he, what right did he have to force that torment on anyone else? Should he get involved in her cause or any other like it, that's exactly what he would be doing.

He watched her leave. He couldn't remember if she had bade him farewell or not. It was in her nature to become so consumed as to cast civilities like that aside. It was of no consequence to him whether she did or not. He watched her fade into the crowd of thousands of people on the street and wished he could do the same.

* * *

Given the current situation with Ermac and Noob just a couple miles away on the other side of the Sea of Blood, I could understand Rain's panic. That did not excuse him of hastily dragging me by the arm around the beach in search of a hiding spot, though. It was bad enough he teleported us back where we started without warning; I was incredibly nauseous now. Rain yanking me along was only exacerbating the sickness.

"Stop it!" I cried, then jerked away from the prince and crouched down onto my knees near the crimson shore.

I clamped down hard on my teeth as the wave began to swing in full force. I shut my eyes and waited for the nausea to pass. Before I closed them I saw that Ermac and Noob were still on the other side of the sea, looking around. They seemed to have spotted us by now.

When I could breathe normally again without feeling like I'd retch, I stood shakily and turned to Rain. He glared at me. He knew that we'd been seen as well.

"Come on." He hissed impatiently.

He already had a hold on my wrist and was dragging me further along on the shore. Towards a wrecked nethership he was headed. I swear if he didn't stop pulling on me so roughly I was gonna hit him. He was moving so fast and I had a hard time keeping up. Rain didn't climb aboard the ship like I thought he would, instead he carted me around the back of it. There was a medium-sized hole busted through it, like it had been shot into with a cannon or something. The jagged planks formed a very narrow entryway into the bottom of the vessel. Rain dropped to his knees.

"Get in here!" He demanded.

I glanced over to the sea and saw that Ermac and Noob were nowhere to be seen. That could only mean they were on to us. I huffed, but crawled on my hands and knees right behind the prince. As soon as I got into the ship, I realized how small a space it was. Rain had pressed himself up against the back of the damp wood and beckoned for me to hurry up.

"I can't fit." I protested.

"Yes you can, just get in!" Rain insisted.

I huffed and kept crawling. I couldn't even sit up properly. I tried to situate myself but either way I sat in the dark, hot alcove my legs were sticking out of the plank wood opening. I tried in vain to tuck them underneath me.

The high-pitched, eerie whistle was too familiar not to know by heart. It was the sound of a portal being opened. Soon after, I heard the grungy thudding steps resound on the beach. Noob and Ermac had arrived on this side of the shore, I just knew it. I didn't know how far off they were, though.

"We just saw them" Ermac insisted.

Noob's sigh was heard very clearly. "Are you sure?"

**"Absolutely,"** Ermac replied.

Both of them were moving quickly towards the boat and all I could think of was how on Earth they managed to figure out we were there. Rain reacted just as fast in response to the two beings getting closer by pulling me all the way inside the vessel and smashing me against him. He covered his hand over my mouth and wrapped his arm around my waist. Then he hooked one of his legs in between my own and dug his chin into my shoulder. Furiously I squirmed but he only held me tighter.

"Be _still_," he whispered. "And don't bite me." he added.

I groped my shorts and tried to reach my sai's. Rain immediately caught on and clenched his other leg around mine too. He crushed me even closer to him and something scraped against my outer thigh. Something hard and sharp. Must've been that dagger. I think it cut me.

"Won't you keep still?" Rain again asked exasperatedly.

I tried to retort but his fingerless-gloved hand had my lips pushed up against my teeth. This had to be the most uncomfortable position ever. I just wanted to get out of this dark, stuffy boat no matter what. I know I needed Rain to help me get to the lair and all, but I swear if he kept this up I'd kill him before Ermac and Noob got the chance to.

"They probably got away. Rain can teleport, you know." Noob pointed out.

"Of course we know." the host spat, then muttered derisively, "**How could we have forgotten?"**

Through the slats in the wood I could see the wraith's legs not too far away. He was standing with his back to the ship. I couldn't see any part of Ermac, which really wasn't good. That had to mean he was in the air. Rain pressed his cheek to mine and tried to see. My entire body was cradled into his and unfortunately that meant that all the blood caked on him was smeared onto me. I elbowed him and he squeezed me painfully.

"We're wasting time." Noob drawled.

"We _know_ he's here." Ermac persisted.

Noob continued, "We have only a few days until our forces are to be moved from the Netherealm."

"**Bitch is hiding," **Ermac growled from above. "I can hear his thoughts. He's close."

I jumped and Rain stiffened when the host touched down right in front of the gaping hole at our feet. Unnecessarily he scooted further back into the planks adjacent to the hole and pulled me with him. If we got any closer, our bodies would no doubt meld into each other. It was stifling. I, too, panicked. I wasn't trying to test my luck. Ermac was mad right now, and there was no guarantee that I would be spared if they caught the two of us and decided to unleash their wrath.

The host paced the length of the entire vessel a few times, painstakingly slowly. Each time he passed the split slats in the wood where the prince and I sat huddled, I felt more than heard Rain's heart race. The fourth time Ermac finally stopped.

"Let's get out of here," Ermac rumbled, "**Lousy little shit must've left."**

Noob sighed, "I told you. Back to Vaeternus then?"

Ermac didn't reply, but once again I heard the noises indicative of a portal being formed. Noob continued to mumble and grumble to himself and his voice got farther away and fainter by the second. Then there was silence. I think they were gone at last. Rain still hadn't let go of me, though. I shifted to get his attention and he shoved me out of his lap. In his haste to get out of the boat he knocked me to the side and even stepped on my hand. It hurt more than I'd like to admit.

"Would you watch where you're going?" I cried angrily.

"Hn." Rain scoffed while walking off.

I climbed out of the hole and dusted myself off. Or at least tried to; the blood that Rain got on me was stuck crusting to my skin. It was gross. I looked around and saw that it had only gotten darker. And colder. That's funny, it was colder than I remembered it being the last time I was here. Oh wait, the last time I was here I wasn't human.

* * *

It was the greatest lamentation his soul dare cry; he really should have tried to contact her before he left. Decorum be damned, he should have tried to speak to her, to tell her that she had never left his heart or mind. That he was missing her and that he loved her. He could never tell her that enough. So many times he thought over that last kiss, that last moment between them and kept sighing so heavily. He didn't think he'd ever stop feeling this way, so weighed down and lethargic, until he got to see her again. His love. His Mileena. Yes, she was most definitely his by now. He claimed her as his own little wife and would always be bound to her no matter the twists in fate and circumstances in life.

For his heart's sake his mind had conjured his fondest memories with his love. It did help for a little while to imagine all the time he'd spent with the fiery-tempered woman. She was so very special, and consequently so were their interactions with one another. She made his life that much more exciting. Her foul mouth was more than he could handle at times, and her brash attitude got the better of her at others, but he loved her even more for her flaws. If they could be labeled as such. He was incredibly biased when it came to Mileena. Those things he would not tolerate in others, he overlooked in her. She was his exception, she would always be. And no matter how much she liked to front that hardened personality of hers, he knew that she had a genuine, soft, very emotional side underneath it all.

It came out most frequently when he was alone with her. She allowed him to see her insecurities and her uncertainty, what with being newly human and discovering the same confusing emotions that being in love entailed. He, too, was a novice at romance and the like, but he was all too eager to shower his beloved and that was what made up for his ignorance in the area. Mileena, though, didn't know how to love, or allow herself to be loved in turn. So innocent and honest were her attempts to let him know that she cared for him and that she appreciated his attentions. Sometimes she was just so mixed up inside and he was torn at wanting to either comfort and reassure her, or kiss her for how adorable her obvious confusion was. She really was the most precious thing in the world to him. If it weren't true, he wouldn't have put it in the letter.

Her expressive eyes coupled with her lovely smile and girlish, giggling laugh; he found it all to be incredibly endearing. She had really grown on him. When he first heard from the spirits of his ancestors that he was to be joined with Mileena almost a month and a half ago, he was admittedly dreading the situation. But now he had trouble thinking about ever being without her. A future without his beautiful Mileena by his side truly disturbed him.

"It is finished, Nightwolf." Sheeva stated quietly.

That brought him back to the here and now. He sat at the base of a great statue of the latest Shokan prince near the palace here in this Outworld city. He had been in wait for about an hour or so. His Draco guide had left him around that time to partake in the burial of her murdered king and queen. There were no bodies left of them to be buried, unfortunately, but that didn't stop her and a handful of able-bodied survivors from completing the customary rituals. Now she was back at the designated meeting place she and the shaman had earlier agreed upon. She had come to collect her guest and take him to the place where her warriors lay stricken.

Nightwolf sensed her coming before she even spoke a word and had risen to his feet. He didn't bother packing a single thing for himself on this journey, save for a skin of water at his side. He didn't much have an appetite, no will to eat until absolutely necessary. Which would be soon. He had to be in full strength before healing so many people.

Sheeva began leading the way through her city with Nightwolf by her side. She felt obliged to speak to him on behalf of the destruction and demolition he had to see all around him. Clearing her throat pointedly, she got his attention.

"We can go to the injured now where you'll perform your technique" She explained.

Nightwolf nodded. He only hoped the broken homes, littered roads, and smoldering edifices were not a foreshadowing of what was to become of his own beloved village. He didn't want to see that happen.

"Kuatan was a grand and magnificent subterranean city," Sheeva raved proudly, "But after Quan Chi attacked, things quickly changed."

The chief observed in silence the terrible aftermath of the attack. It was like walking through a ghost town. He kept his hands clasped behind his back and continued on beside the Shokan.

"Chi sent a wave of his dark magic through the whole capital city, using his technique to weaken us without warning." She explained.

"Then," she continued, "He gave his armies free reign to cut down any and everyone they could find. Man, woman, and child were blindly slaughtered. It was far too late before our troops thought to retreat."

She then declared, "Our numbers may have dwindled, but we are no means a defeated race. We are not as the Tarkata, we will again rise and rebuild our great city. Just as soon as you heal our injured, that is." she added.

Nightwolf found her confidence to be a sort of defense against whatever it was inside she refused to show, be it pain or depression or something else. She wasn't properly grieving, unless this brave, nationalistic facade was her way of doing so.

When they both arrived at a sparsely populated field of brown grass with a spiky mountainside in the distance, they were stopped by three bulky looking Shokan. The males were obviously weakened but still managed a menacing glare at the chief. Nightwolf was unfazed, if anything he stood a bit straighter and tacitly demanded their respect.

"Make way," Sheeva commanded of the Tigrar beings, "This is the shaman who is to heal our men."

The trio stepped aside and even gave little bows at Nightwolf after hearing just who he was and what he had come to do. Again Nightwolf didn't react. He followed behind Sheeva and, although he had not asked for an elucidation on the subject, she provided him with one.

"Those are guards. Some of the few survivors of the attack. They protect the stricken while Goro and I are away." she said.

The chief nodded. "They are stationed on the perimeter of this field?" he said with only a small bit of interest.

He could see that they were, but was wondering why. Surely the borders of Kuatan extended past this one field. His answer came in a nod, then a verbal response as Sheeva maneuvered through the bodies of the fallen sprawled on the tawny grass.

"Yes. It's the only area worth guarding with the last of our troops here." she reasoned. "Whenever you are ready, Nightwolf."

The chief knew she was talking about the Regenesis technique. He looked around at the multiple humanoid Shokan lying about. Heavily he sighed. There were about a hundred or so victims, he estimated. He took a seat among them all wearily. This would definitely be a long night.

"Might as well get started," He said to himself.

* * *

I didn't want to have to say anything but I was afraid that, pretty soon, my body would speak for me. I was beyond tired. For hours since we crossed the Sea of Blood Rain and I had been trekking through the charred plains of Edenia. Now that we were in the southern region of the realm, near the saltwater Sea of Pormissus, I had to ask. It would no doubt cause an argument between me and my so-far silent partner, but I couldn't go on like this. I was exhausted. I needed food and perhaps a drink of water. I needed rest.

"Are we nearly to the lair?" I asked the prince.

Rain never faltered in his even, steady pace ahead of me. Step by step he kept going without the slightest inclination to stop. He was like a machine. That beating he took from Ermac wasn't slowing him down in the least bit. Back and forth his ponytail swung and he idly ran his fingers through it while he walked. I knew he was ignoring me, he hadn't spoken to me since we left the hideout, but I pretended he just hadn't heard my question to keep from hitting him in the back of the head.

"Are we almost there?" I asked more loudly.

He didn't even turn around. "We should arrive near dawn."

"Since we're close," I proposed, "Why don't we just stop for the night?"

He snorted in that soft, disdainful way of his, "Stop for what? We're almost there."

"I need to rest." I stated.

Rain sighed so long and so loud it was as if he wanted to let me know just how exasperated he was with me. I really wished he would cut that shit out. The melodrama had gotten stale a very long time ago. Thankfully he did stop, though.

He rounded on me with a mild frown, "I think I preferred you when you were the half-breed Tarkatan whore you used to be. At least then you weren't so weak and pathetic."

"Yeah, and I preferred you when you were gettin' your ass kicked; you didn't talk as much." I retorted derisively.

All the frustration I had building during the day was starting to come out. I had put up with Rain and his drag of a personality for too long. With my hands crossed balled into fists at my side I began to lay into him.

"You think you're so strong and mighty, but you're not!" I cried, "Ermac almost killed you today!"

Rain tilted his head and smirked insufferably, "Yes. But he didn't, did he?"

"Only because you were hiding!" I yelled.

The demigod shrugged, "You were hiding as well." he pointed out.

"You pulled me into your fucking lap!" I countered.

He raised his voice as well, "Did you really expect me to fight a battle I could not win?"

"Of course not, _coward_," I sneered.

"This is how I am to be thanked, then?" he suddenly asked. "This is how I am to be repaid?"

I uncurled my fists, "What? What are you on about?"

Rain raved, "I sensed Ermac and that wraith's presence long before they attacked. Had I not been thinking of you, I would have simply teleported away right at the moment I knew they had arrived. However, I suppose should have left you behind;I would've been sparing you a fate worse than death, after all."

_"_How magnanimous of you," I drawled sarcastically, "What do you mean a fate worse than death?"

The only one I could imagine was being tethered to the horror that was himself for all of eternity. Actually, any fate involving the arrogant royal could qualify as a fate far worse than the most gruesome of deaths. I placed my hands on my hips and waited for him to explain. It wasn't that I believed him. Yeah, he probably could have just cut and run like he did at the hotel, but he didn't. I didn't know why he stayed, but I was almost certain it had nothing to do with him looking out for me. Still, I wanted to hear what lie he'd spew next.

Rain shrugged, and clasped his hands behind his back. He wore that stupid smirk again and started to circle me. I had to keep turning in order to keep him in my line of sight.

"Whatever the emperor has planned for you," he stated smugly, "It isn't good."

"What do you mean?" I asked quietly.

Rain stopped right in front of me and put on arm around his waist. He propped his other arm up by the elbow onto it and examined his nails.

"Hm. I don't think as a sorcerer, I can't imagine the things he has in store for you." Rain said simply, "I do know that whatever he decides to do when he gets his hands on you, it won't be pleasant."

I had chills at his words. "Whatever. I won't let him touch me."

"You think you can stop him from having his way?" Rain asked curiously, "I seriously doubt it. You're just a weak mortal woman."

"That's what you think," I frowned.

Rain ignored me. "Tell me, wench; what _did _you plan on doing once I took you to the emperor? I mean, besides getting thrown in a cell, that is."

I shut my mouth and thought. It was a risky thing, me going to talk to Pasty. There was a high possibility that Rain was right. But I already had myself prepared for a worst case scenario, so it didn't matter. I was prepared to fight should the old Paste-Face decide to be difficult.

Rain was still going on, "You can't seduce him, you can't reason with him. He's gone mad with paranoia as it is. At any rate, he'll lock you in a room and dissect you like one of his experiments."

"Would you shut up?" I snapped.

Rain glowered at me, then smirked again, "Or maybe he'll keep you close by. As his slave. You and I both know what kind; that's all a whore like you is really good for anyway." he murmured.

That was the last straw.

Without thinking twice I reared back and slapped the shit out of him. I hope it hurt him more than it did me, because I hit him so hard my palm was stinging. His head whipped to the side with the force of the blow. I didn't wait for him to react, to possibly strike me back, I just stomped off in the opposite direction, which happened to be further up on land away from the Sea of Pormissus. Angrily I hiked through the dense woods with no particular destination in mind.

* * *

So that hadn't gone as planned. Coming to Cyrax had been a sort of last ditch effort, and she knew that there was a chance he would say no but she at least thought he'd hear her out first. It was like he already had his mind up and wasn't gonna change it anytime soon. It was like she wasn't even getting through to him. She intended to recruit him to her cause of saving the Earth from this latest threat and he had let her down. She let him know the extent to which he had, too, but he didn't seem to care at all. He seemed less like himself, and more like the robot he was engineered to be by his old Grandmaster. It was unsettling. She knew the day would come when he finally lost his humanity, but she hadn't counted on it happening so soon.

In a huff she stalked through the vast region of Beijing wishing things had gone differently. She didn't want to return to the others empty-handed, not while everyone's morale was already sort of low. She could only hope they were having more success than she. Suddenly she stopped.

She looked down at her feet and saw that the cobbled pavement beneath her feet was shaking ever so slightly. She stared hard at her feet and then at the painted stripes of the crosswalk below them. There were little pebbles near the steel tip of her boots. They were jumping and rattling. The ground was definitely moving. Horns blared and angry drivers demanded she move on as other people passed her by. She couldn't shake the feeling that something very bad was about to happen. Maybe it was an earthquake; no, not likely.

"...!" someone shouted at her but they spoke so fast and so furiously that she couldn't decipher what it was they had said.

She took it as a cue to move on at last. She shook her head and rolled her shoulders uneasily. As soon as she crossed the street, her fears were confirmed. When her foot hit the first tile of the sidewalk the ground rattled intensely and she could hardly stay standing. Then the figures began emerging from the concrete and landing heavily all around her. Large, bulky maroon colored cyborgs formed a circle around her, and they were closing in fast.

"What the..." she murmured in confusion.

One of the robots spoke from behind her, "Sonya Blade, ally of Unit LK-4D4, the Grand Master has ordered your termination."

"What?!" she scoffed.

The cyborgs switched into an offensive stance as one. It was obvious they wanted to _terminate _her. Why? She didn't know. But it didn't look like she would be able to find out just yet. Although she was under-dressed for battle in her tan coat, white short-sleeved shirt, fitted black pants and combat boots of the same color, she would still fight. She yanked off her coat and tossed it aside; it would only slow her down. Then she got into position and slowly turned round to assess her opponents. The first thing she had to do was get out of that circle.

"Hee-yah!" She grunted as she ran headlong for one of the bots.

Because she had the element of surprise on her side, she was able to hoist herself over the soldier's shoulders and bring the heavy metal creature hurtling through the air where it landed on its back in front of her. It slammed into the sidewalk so hard the concrete cracked. Its gears and hardware began short-circuiting and the light of its ocular units slowly faded to black.

"One down," Sonya muttered, "About five or six more of you bastards to go."

The robots shared a strange glance with each other and all whipped out a pulse blade each. Then they rushed at the woman with the intent to kill. Sonya smirked. She was frustrated from how her meeting with Cyrax turned out. This would be the perfect way to vent her anger.

Nimbly Sonya dodged the beams of light slicing towards her and tried to avoid the people on the streets. Cars had stopped and people were beginning to panic while others were pulling out cameras and phones to capture the epic battle. Sonya scoffed and wished they'd get out of her way. She didn't want any innocent bystanders to get hurt, but the elated crowds were making it hard.

A few cars were parked on the side of the road, empty. _Just what I need, _Sonya thought. She paced backwards while two robots adamantly swung their blades neatly in front of her and at the last second she turned round and got a running start up the hood of a parked BMW. She kicked her heel and flipped through the air, landing in a crouch behind the two cyborgs. Launching back on her hands she propelled her outstretched feet into both their cold chests and watched them crash into the glass windshield behind them. _  
_

Turning around she saw three more of the soldiers making their way over to her and she cracked her knuckles down at her sides. It was time for her special move.

Quickly she flipped back onto her hands again but this time she delivered a series of kicks to one of her enemies that sent them both several feet off of the ground. Twisting her body in mid-air and pushed both her feet down into the robot's back and it went flying back down where it met the pavement with a scraping crunch.

Instead of landing back on the ground as well Sonya strove to settle herself on the other robot's shoulders. Its comrade brought his light blade down swiftly but just in time Sonya had flattened herself against the creature' back so that the pulse sword cut through the machine's entire body.

"You did the work for me," She remarked after hopping down from the fallen bots body.

"Looks like you're the last one." She noticed. "But not for long."

She poised for attack and the cyborg did as well but it abruptly halted and stiffened. Then suddenly it got down on its knee and bowed.

Sonya frowned warily and gripped her hips, "Well this is certainly a change in demeanor." She muttered.

"Sonya Blade." A deep, automatic voice intoned.

Said blonde froze and shuddered at the ominous voice. She knew that creepy voice. Hesitantly she turned around and got back into a fighter's stance.

"Sektor." She spoke evenly.

"That's Grand Master to you, Miss Blade," He corrected.

"Why'd you send your Tekunin to kill me?" She retorted.

Sektor stalked closer to the mortal and tilted their mechanic head. "They weren't meant for you."

"Uh, I'm calling bullshit. They told me they had orders from _you_ to terminate me." Sonya snapped.

"Those orders were issued out months ago. They apply to any ally of my main target." Sektor calmly stated.

"And that target would be?" Sonya asked curtly.

Sektor halted and stood a couple feet from the OIA official. "The renegade Unit LK-4D4."

Sonya frowned, "Who?"

Sektor paused, "You probably know him better as the Lin Kuei traitor, Cyrax."

"Why are you hunting Cyrax?" Sonya wanted to know.

"He is a traitor and needs to be brought to justice." Sektor explained.

Sonya pursed her lips and furrowed her brow. She wanted to say that the Grand Master had a very warped sense of justice, but she knew better. Sektor may have lost his mind and soul, but anger reigned in his core processing systems. He had an infamous temper that she didn't want to whet, even if she was in a terrible mood herself.

"He's not the only traitor, from what I've heard." Sonya remarked.

She knew very little about the affairs of the Lin Kuei, but one thing had been circulating, and that was the news of great dissonance within the clan. Apparently not every member agreed with Sektor being in power and decided they wanted no part of his schemes as Grand Master. Sonya had heard rumors that there was even a formal, underground Resistance underway.

"He's the only one that matters," Sektor responded monotonously.

Sonya huffed. If that didn't scream obsession, she didn't know what did. It was obvious that Sektor was bent on destroying Cyrax, but she could hardly figure out why. She thought that maybe he'd be lenient with his old comrade, given their past close relationship. She couldn't have been more wrong, though.

Quietly she asked, "You'll kill him if you find him, won't you? Your own friend." She accused.

Sektor straightened and replied, "Not if, when. You will tell me where he is so that I may make an example of him."

"An example of what?" Sonya asked brusquely.

"_No one_ leaves the Lin Kuei." Sektor declared with gusto.

Sonya rolled her eyes. _Crazy_, she thought to herself. She began to think, however, of how she could work the situation to her advantage. She was no manipulator, but this time she needed to figure out how to handle things to work out in her favor, and in the favor of the alliance. Neither support nor aid she got from Cyrax. Sektor was hunting Cyrax and probably planned on interrogating her for information regarding his whereabouts. That may or may not result in her losing her life since she would no doubt fight every minute of it. So what to do?

The answer soon came to her, and with a new resolve she held herself a bit higher to let on that she wasn't intimidated by the fearsome droid in front of her. Confidently she spoke to him in an even tone.

"Sektor-"

"Grand Master," he interrupted.

"Yes," she continued, irked. "I have a proposition for you."

"What makes you think you can proposition me?" he asked neutrally.

Sonya shrugged, "You want to know where Cyrax is, don't you?"

"Continue." Sektor said after a pause.

Sonya said, "Quan Chi has waged war on several realms and races using the energy he's harnessed from Shao Kahn's dark magic. I'm sure you must have heard about it."

"I have. I hardly see how that affects me." Sektor managed to sound bored, even with his usually mechanic voice.

"Think about it Sek-Grand Master. You and your clan could be the next target of Quan Chi's attacks."

"I highly doubt it." he seemed to sneer.

Sonya sighed, "The fate of the Earth involves your clan, too. If Chi does succeed in taking over the realms, you'll be at his mercy." she pointed out.

Sektor deliberated over her words and the only sound from his body was the dull thrum of his fully functional circuitry. He finally spoke again, and Sonya knew she had gotten through to him.

"So what is it you are asking of me?" he asked.

Sonya allowed a victorious smirk to flit across her mouth before schooling her features once more. She hadn't won just yet. She still had some convincing to do.

"I'm asking for your help in taking him down." she proposed. "I've fought your Tekunin; they're _good_. They'd be an incredibly powerful asset to our alliance." she stated.

Sonya hardly thought the cybernetic ninjas were all that, but in order to sway the Grand Master a little flattery couldn't hurt. Besides, the robots really would be a good facet in the fight against Chi. Sektor was definitely eating the flattery up. The Tekunin project was his 'baby' in a sense. He'd created them himself and it was a major stroke to his ego to hear of their worth. She was slowly winning him over, but she knew he needed that final incentive.

"In exchange for the aid of your warriors," she bargained, "I'll give you some information about where Cyrax is."

Sektor stiffened.

"I don't know much since I'm no longer in contact with him," She said, "but I'll give you all the information I possess."

With the bait laid, all Sonya had to do was wait to see if he'd take it. She had absolutely no intention of leading him to Cyrax, but to blatantly lie to the cyborg with anger issues would be suicide. She would never set herself up that badly. She planned to deceive him, to provide him with outdated information just to keep him off her ally's back and to rope him into helping the alliance. She prayed for him to buy into her plot.

He did.

"Very well. I'll hold you to your words, Miss Blade." Sektor intoned, "You have my support, and the aid of my warriors," he agreed.

"However," he stated. "If you renege on your promise, you will regret it."

Sonya mildly shuddered but held her body still rigid as ever. She nodded once, and Sektor seemed to be appeased.

"Come, then." Sektor said, "Let us go someplace where we may discuss the terms of this agreement."

Sonya blinked against the breeze and walked over to the wrecked parked car that she'd stepped on earlier. She retrieved her coat and meandered around the incapacitated robots to follow the Grand Master. As she put on her coat she wondered if she could really trust this guy. There was a war going on, so she did realize no one could be totally trusted. Allies were only a temporary thing, after all. At any rate, she had dodged an interrogation session and had gained more help for the alliance.

Perhaps the day hadn't been such a waste after all.

* * *

**A/N: That concludes this chapter. Leave a review if you are so inclined to, it would help for me to know what you guys think of this latest installment! I know I sound like a broken record, but I really love feedback ^^**

**Until next time my awesome readers, **

**~DymondGold~**


	34. Anticipated

**Finally my writer's block is history! Thanks for bearing with me, can't say that enough!**

**If anyone wants to do me a huge favor by drawing a picture of Nightwolf/Mileena, PM me! I would be ever so grateful! And it would be used as my new logo, since the current one I did stinks; I have no artistic ability whatsoever, if you haven't noticed -_-**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing related to the Mortal Kombat franchise, be it settings, characters, themes, or the like.**

* * *

**Chapter Thirty-Four**

* * *

Earlier I'd stalked through the woods and had happened upon that same hotspring from this afternoon. There I took a soak until my fingers and toes looked like shriveled up versions of themselves. The bath had mellowed me out. I wasn't really mad at Rain anymore. The prince was a real asshole and probably would be until the day he died. He wasn't worth getting worked up over. Besides, I already slapped the shit out of him and that had felt so very good.

Too bad the marks weren't there anymore. Rain healed himself. Not a scratch or bruise remained, nothing left to show for his battle with Ermac and Noob. His body was flawless once again thanks to his little healing trick. He definitely had to be the luckiest person I knew. But maybe it wasn't all luck.

As I sat on the shore with my knees hunched and my arms wrapped around them, I watched the prince run through his moves. Knee-deep in the water and conjuring liquid clones, whirlpools, and way too much lightening, he practiced for almost an hour. He was actually very good, though I'd be damned if I ever let him know it. He's had centuries to perfect his form, to accrue such extensive skill with his elements, and it definitely showed. He really did have a reason to be cocky.

All his effort brought in a fearsome wind in addition to the already chilly atmosphere and I shivered again. I had to be bored if I was watching him play in the water, I knew he was just showing off again. I rolled my eyes and tore them from his lithe form and looked away. It was beyond late, like almost dawn. Neither of us could sleep, obviously. It had been a long night. Now that he was distracted, I could check in with Sonya. It took a little while to get through to her, and when she came in her voice was all funny.

"Report?" she spoke.

I brought the watch up to my mouth and replied, "We're close to the lair but we got slowed down by Ermac and Noob."

"What? What happened?" she asked.

I sighed, "Ermac wants to kill him. We got away, but we won't be there until morning."

"Did you find out anything from them?" she wanted to know.

"They have another army besides the Chaosrealmers," I told her, "One they're building in the Netherealm. And they're planning on attacking Pasty in Vaeternus."

"When?" Sonya fired back.

"In about a week." I told her.

Thankfully she didn't ask about where I'd gotten the information. She didn't buzz in for a few seconds, and I stared out at the sea. Rain had stopped splashing around out there and was just standing with his arms behind his head. Sonya came back and startled the calm moment, and since Rain wasn't practicing anymore, his head whipped around at the noise.

"Hold on right quick." I whispered.

Rain started sloshing through the water towards shore. He flung the water from his body and ran his hands through his hair. So suspicious were his eyes, but he dared not speak to me. That would break his hour and a half long record of giving me the cold shoulder, after all. He stood right in front of me with his eyebrow raised and his dark eyes on my watch.

I stood up and dusted off my bottom, then brushed past the prince. When I was sure he wouldn't hear me, deep in the woods again, I clicked back in.

"Okay, now what were you saying?" I asked.

"I really can't talk right now," she strained.

I could hear the truth in her words in the loud ruckus behind her voice. It was hard to hear her over the noise. I frowned.

"Where are you?" I asked.

"Back in the village," she replied.

My heart did a little flip at that, and I thought back to the last time we spoke. She was in the village last time, too, but I hadn't had the nerve to ask to speak to Nightwolf. This time I wouldn't be so stupid. I cleared my throat and rubbed my sweaty palms on my shorts before bringing the watch back up to my mouth.

"Well um, do you think maybe I could-" I started nervously.

Sonya cut me off abruptly, but softly, "He's not here. I'm sorry."

Just like someone's head against the rocks my hopes were dashed and splattered like the gray matter from the skull. My stomach dropped out to my shoes and my lightened heart was suddenly weighed down as well. I tried to mask my disappointment. And probably failed.

"Oh." I murmured, "you know where he is?"

"He's in Outworld, in Kuatan. He made a deal with the Shokan. I wish I could tell you more but I really have to go now," Sonya explained in a rush.

And then she was gone. The loudness behind her, the hurried tone of her voice, it all disappeared as the radio fizzled out of connection. I didn't even try to stop my smile. I was so very excited because he was here, in Outworld; Nightwolf was in Outworld! Just like me! There was a chance I could see him! Blind, giddy hope bubbled inside me.

Then reality began to set in; I couldn't do anything about this piece of information. It wasn't as if I could just drop everything and go see him. I mean, I didn't even know where Kuatan was and how far away from Edenia it lay. I still had a mission to complete, and the fact that Nightwolf wasn't in his village made that mission so much more imperative. What I needed to do was focus on getting to the lair and stalling the emperor. That was easier said, or thought, than done though.

When I got back to the beach, there was a campfire blazing and the prince sat in front of it. I immediately got an idea. Maybe I didn't know where Kuatan was, but Rain most likely did. In fact, he could probably teleport us back and forth there in only minutes. It was genius. But I knew he wouldn't do it. He still hasn't spoken to me. To get him to take me to Kuatan I'll have to either seduce or bribe him, and I damn sure wasn't planning on doing the former, not in this lifetime or any other. So bribery it was. But what did I have that was of any value to Rain? Worrying my bottom lip, I crossed the sandy expanse and sat across from him.

Rain looked like he was trying his very hardest to ignore me. He had his legs splayed open and his head bowed towards his lap. Idly he picked at his nails. They were impeccably clean but he messed with them anyway.

I really didn't want to even talk to him. I was still plenty sore about what he'd said to me earlier. And besides, I didn't like him, nor did I like the idea of asking him for anything. But I needed his help, and for Nightwolf I'd try. If I could just see him and talk to him for just two minutes, I'd try. With resolve I situated myself closer to the fire and pulled the satchel into my lap. I was lucky to have retrieved it from the shores of the Sea of Blood.

Going through it I found I had very little to offer the snooty prince. I had no money or fine jewelry, and those are two of the things I knew he liked. Earlier I had tried to share some of the dried beef but for all his disgusted sneering you'd think I was offering him a piece of shit. So what do I give him?

As my fingers skimmed over the large flannel blanket, the glass container I'd stolen from Pasty came into view. I smirked. Well why hadn't I thought of that earlier? I pulled out the pink liquid and set the satchel aside. I could see Rain stealing curious glances my way when he thought I wasn't looking. He was interested. I put the glass in my lap and placed both my palms on my bare thighs. Now I had to think of a way to proposition him. While I again bit my lip Rain took the initiative to reach into my lap and snatch the glass. I didn't know whether or not I should slap him again, that wouldn't help me win him over.

He leaned back from the fire and swirled the liquid around in front of his eyes. Instantly they lit in recognition, then dimmed again. Nonchalance was what he feigned but I knew he was quite intrigued.

"Isn't this the emperor's?" he asked, seemingly boredly.

I shrugged and jerked it back from him, "...Maybe."

"So you stole it?" he deduced.

"Obviously," I retorted.

"Typical." he remarked.

Rain leaned on his elbows and spread his legs in the sand even wider. "He was gonna use that on you, anyway."

"What?" I frowned.

"I was present when he made it," Rain spoke, "And he tested it on some of the guards."

"So you know what it does," I stated.

"Of course," Rain responded flippantly.

"Do you want it?" I murmured.

Rain was about to respond then abruptly shut his mouth. He narrowed his eyes and slowly slid back into a sitting position. He crossed his arms over his chest, underneath his gold chain.

"What do you want?" He asked suspiciously.

I replied simply, "A favor."

Rain appraised me critically, "What kind?"

I bit back whatever nasty, snide remark I could've made and said in response to that; what the hell kind of favor did he think I want?

"Take me to Kuatan." I ordered neutrally.

Blinking confusedly Rain asked, "Right now?"

Again I had to hold my tongue. "Yes. Right now." I answered shortly.

Dismissively he said, "No."

"Why not?" I huffed.

"We have to be at the lair by dawn." He explained. "Or have you forgotten?"

"Well you said it was close," I argued, "We could go to Kuatan and be back in only minutes if you teleport us."

"I thought you didn't like teleporting?" He accused disinterestedly.

I scoffed, "I don't, but that doesn't matter. Will you take me?" I implored.

He fiddled with his boots, taking his time scraping little specks of dirt off of them. Even after a long pause, he still hadn't answered me.

"Why do you want to go there all of a sudden?" he asked.

"Does it matter?" I snapped rhetorically.

He deliberated for even longer and sighed. "Fine. I suppose I can take you there. Just give me a minute."

"For what?" I frowned.

He stalked off towards the woods and started to mess with his pants. Although I couldn't make out what he called over his shoulder, I knew what he was about to do. I really shouldn't have asked. To say he can manipulate water so well, it sure goes through him pretty quickly.

* * *

Noob could recall a time from his incomplete memory when he still lived in China as a young teenager with his parents and his baby brother Kuai. He distinctly remembered having to walk on eggshells throughout the house because of his younger sibling's odd sleeping patterns. It was as if the slightest noise, even a cough or a sneeze, would set his little brother to screaming and crying. Now Noob felt like he was dealing with the same thing with his partner, only Ermac's mood and reaction to being set off would probably be much more volatile.

That was why he hadn't said anything for fear of rubbing the host the wrong way. The anger was already radiating off of their shoulders in waves. He didn't know what was bothering Ermac, but the last time he tried to help talk them through their problems he'd been snapped at; he figured he'd keep his advice to himself this time.

Side by side they walked through the barren realm of Vaeternus in their journey to the designated battle sight when Ermac suddenly stopped and turned sharply. Noob turned as well but didn't see anything save for dried land behind them.

**"Reveal yourself!" **Ermac ordered.

Noob frowned and placed a tentative hand on his partner's shoulder. He knew the host was high-strung but honestly; this was just too much. There was no one or nothing there, not that he could sense and with the dead trees few and far between, it wasn't like they have anywhere to hide.

"Who are you talking to?" Noob asked carefully.

Ermac wasn't crazy. They'd spent years honing their telepathic abilities and by now knew how to pick up and distinguish different types of thoughts based on the the patterns of crests and waves emitted. The tell-tale frequencies they were detecting were definitely not coming from a human, nor could they be considered complete thoughts; it was as if the being couldn't exactly form anything more complex than base intentions.

**"We know you're there," **Ermac said ominously, **"Show yourself!" **

Just when Noob was beginning to think his old comrade had cracked at last, the air began to ripple and distort in front of his eyes. When he blinked, a gleaming white cyborg stood before him and Ermac. He rose both brows and crossed his arms.

"Well how 'bout that." he muttered, impressed.

The cyborg turned swiftly on its heels and bolted in the opposite direction. Ermac watched it go, but the sight of a certain golden emblem on its back made their blood freeze. Without another thought, they gave chase. Noob sighed, it wasn't in his agenda to run at a moment's notice, but he followed beside his ally anyway.

"What are you after?" he huffed.

Ermac continued to sprint, "That _machine _belongs to the spectre."

That was all the answer they offered and Noob didn't pry. He knew that Ermac was referring to Scorpion. He didn't understand why Ermac had enmity with Scorpion; if there was anybody who should harbor hatred for the spectre it would be Noob himself since he was the one killed by Scorpion. Of course he held no grudge, but obviously Ermac did.

The cyborg led them all the way to the of a series of mountains, one of which had many caves carved along its face. Gathered at the base of it were hundreds of fiery warriors all standing in straight rows with more leaping from the caves and getting into position with the others below. Their leader, who happened to be the ninja in question, marched along each column of his men with his back erect. Ermac strode right over to him.

"**What is all this?" **Ermac demanded.

Noob sighed, he really didn't think that abrasive attitude would do more than escalate the situation. He already had a bad feeling about things, especially when Scorpion balled his fists at his side and refused to answer. As Noob reached the two, he again tried to appeal to his partner.

"You can calm down now." he stated neutrally.

Ermac scowled, **"Calm down?** He's planning on using his slew of corpses to slay the emperor!"

Scorpion tensed, "Stay out of my mind!"

"How did you find out about our plot?" Ermac bellowed, "It was that machine, wasn't it? You sent it to spy on us!"

Noob interjected, "Ermac, you're jumping to conclusions."

Scorpion agreed. He never liked Ermac and didn't appreciate being violated in such a way by the host. Besides, his accusations were unfounded; he gave his cyborg no such orders. He believed he had better things to do than spy on Ermac and Noob. Again Ermac plunged into the spectre's mind and was even more riled at what he found out.

"**You told him?"** He exclaimed, whirling on his partner. "How could you divulge that kind of information to the likes of _him_?"

Noob scratched at the back of his hooded head absently, "Yeah I was gonna' tell you but I guess it slipped my mind."

Scorpion, meanwhile, bristled at the insinuation and Noob could see things were going downhill fast. It wouldn't do to have a fight break out, not right then at least, so the wraith tried to quickly diffuse the situation.

"Ermac, what's done is done. No use getting upset. Technically we're all on the same side now so that's a plus...right?" he pointed out.

Neither of the other two ninja seemed to think so, but at least they weren't ready to go at each other anymore. Scorpion relaxed his frame just a bit and uncoiled his fists. With a disgusted sneer Ermac turned and stalked off.

**"Just make sure you keep your zombies out of our way,"** they called over their shoulder.

Scorpion's eyes blazed and he took a step forward but was held back by Noob's extended arm across his chest. Noob shook his head and watched his ally get further away. When he was sure the host was out of earshot, he turned back to Scorpion.

Apologetically he explained, "Ermac hasn't been himself lately. Probably won't be until he's killed a certain someone."

Scorpion stated, "Me. He wants to kill _me_."

"It's not you he's after," Noob stated ambiguously.

With that he decided to catch up with his moody comrade. He walked brusquely up to Ermac's side and the host narrowed his luminescent green eyes in his direction.

"Finally finished fraternizing with the enemy?" They asked scathingly.

Noob took the acerbic inquiry in stride. "Since when did Scorpion become our enemy?"

"You wouldn't know would you?"Ermac continued, **"Not since you two have been getting all chummy behind our back" **

"Chummy?" Noob frowned.

"He can't be trusted," Ermac insisted fervently. **  
**

Noob understood that much, but didn't see why Ermac was getting so worked up. They could hardly trust Havik and yet they had no problem consulting issue with Scorpion was clearly something more personal.

* * *

It wasn't dark here; that was the first thing I noticed. Apparently time is different in each realm. While it was near midnight in Edenia, here in Kuatan it looked to be early evening. The sun was still perched over the horizon and the sky was painted a dusky pinkish orange. The amber grass of the plains I walked through waved in the breeze. It was cold here. From the satchel at my side I drew the flannel blanket and wrapped it around my shoulders like a cloak. I clutched the fabric in my sweaty fists and bunched my fingers and the cloth over my chest. I was nervous. Nightwolf was here and I'd get to see him in just a short while.

"Are you done yet?" Rain whispered behind me.

I couldn't help but shriek a little in alarm. "Don't sneak up on me!" I growled.

"I don't sneak." he sniffed.

I didn't even see or hear him approaching, and that was saying something since the area didn't have much to show for in terms of landscape. Back in the urban part of the area there were rugged roads and torn down houses and other buildings, but out here past all that was nothing but plainlands. I had no idea where Rain had popped up from.

"I told you to wait for me by that broken statue back near those burnt houses." I told him.

He shrugged, "You were taking too long."

"It hasn't even been two minutes!" I protested.

He sighed, "What is it you need to do, anyway?"

"None of your business, now go away." I snapped. "I need to do this alone."

He appeared to get the message and started backtracking through the tall grass slowly. He had his hands clasped behind his back and was staring warily.

"Fine. But if you aren't back in ten minutes, I'm leaving you." he threatened.

I rolled my eyes, "You better not."

Once he was gone I adjusted the blanket around my body and looked around. I saw something I hadn't noticed before; in the distance was a bunch of blue triangles, mountain peaks I think. And coming from the vicinity were thick coils of smoke that seemed wisp away the higher up into the atmosphere they got. I figured that where there was smoke there was fire, and where there was fire there had to be people to have created it.

"Well in Outworld, who knows," I spoke. "It could be people, or it could be something else."

I guess I'd have to take that risk, seeing as how I'd already come this far. It didn't take me long to cross the broad expanse of brown field and soon I came upon what looked like a camp. There were Shokan guards standing along the perimeter of a huge circle of land, and inside that land there were cots set up with hundreds of bulky men lying lifeless on them. No wait, they were breathing. Around each of the cots there was a smoky, red and purple haze. The whole area was coated up to about a couple of feet off the ground in the mist. I couldn't see past all the bodies, but it looked like the colorful fog was coming from the dead center of the circle.

I would've gone closer to investigate but that's when I was stopped by one of the Shokan guards. He was a lean, dark-skinned male with slitted golden eyes and long, sleek black hair that swayed in the wind in its high ponytail. From his shoulders down to his thighs and knees he had on a full set of armor although his two-toed feet stood bare. His bottom two arms were folded and he grasped a staff in each of his upper hands.

"Where do you think you're going, mortal?" he asked sternly.

"I need to get in there." I told him.

"No one gets past here." he said curtly, "Go back where you came from."

I shivered and replied, "I just want to see someone."

The guard didn't budge, "I'm warning you. Leave."

"A loved one," I added quietly.

Now the Shokan hesitated. The sympathy was obvious on his face, and with each staff lowered he hesitated. He seemed torn. I worried my lip a bit, then turned onto him the most piteous expression I could muster.

"Please," I entreated softly.

The guard rolled his eyes and sighed to himself. "Look, woman."

"Please!" I begged him again.

I tried to push out a tear or two and was actually successful. Finally the Shokan conceded. I never would have pegged him for the sentimental type, but looks are often deceiving.

"Alright. What's their name?" he drawled resignedly.

"Nightwolf," I beamed.

"The shaman?" he asked incredulously.

I nodded and smiled even wider. "He's here?"

"Of course." the guard replied, "But I can't let you see him."

"But," I stammered.

"No. I'm sorry," he said, and he really did look sorry. "Now I must ask you to leave, miss."

I started to walk away. I could've cried, I sure felt like it, but after a few steps I chose to dart past him and into the camp instead. I had caught the guard by surprise and had gained myself a head start. Dodging the other guards who were now after me, I zig-zagged through the cots and headed for the center. All of a sudden I was swept off the ground and pulled against someone much taller than myself.

"Let me go!" I squirmed in my assailant's hold.

My captor put me on the ground and turned me around, keeping a firm hold on my forearms. I saw who it was who had grabbed me and instantly recognized her.

"Mileena?" Sheeva gasped, "I thought Chi had killed you!"

"Yeah, well you thought wrong, now let me go!" I replied testily.

I jerked away from her but she scooped me up again. She started carrying me, while I kicked and thrashed, in the direction away from the center of the circle. I had a hunch that was where Nightwolf was.

"Put me down! I need to see him!" I cried.

"He's busy, Mileena." Sheeva stated, "I can't let you disturb him."

What she didn't know was that I had a knack for getting out of binds like this, especially when I really put my mind to it. I brought my knees up to my chest and bowed my head down, then sank my teeth into the two arms that held me. She hissed and dropped me, but snared my ankle before I could get free. I kicked wildly until she let go, then charged back towards the center.

"Stop her!" Sheeva ordered.

I was almost there. I could see Nightwolf now, I could make out the top of his head. I let the blanket fly from my shoulders as I pumped my arms back in forth in time with my legs. I only heard my feet thumping through the thick grass and my heart and pulse thundering in my ears. I couldn't breathe and was sweaty all over. At last I reached him.

Nightwolf didn't even look up when I collapsed in front of him. He had his legs folded and his hands palm-down on the earth on either side of him. His head was thrown back with his face to the sky. He didn't have on his shirt, but he did have his usual black pants and boots. A plain band kept his hair in place near the middle of his back but a couple of locks had broken free and were plastered to his temples with sweat. He looked to be in deep concentration. Maybe I shouldn't have disturbed him after all.

Still I crawled in front of him and got on my knees. I brought my hands up to either side of his face with his ears between my thumbs and index fingers. Slowly he began to react. He lowered his head until it was level with mine and then opened his eyes. When he did my heart skipped a beat.

His eyes were bright shimmering white. The pupils and all. He stared past me, not at me, and I almost stopped breathing altogether.

"Nightwolf?" I whispered unsurely.

He didn't respond. He closed his eyes again, and I looked down at his hands. The purple and red mist, it was coming from him just like I thought. Now that I had a better view, I could see that it was changing those who were encased in it, namely the men on the cots. They no longer resembled men. Their bodies were changing before my eyes. There were appendages forming and features were distending and their hands and feet were being reshaped. It suddenly all made sense; those seemingly lifeless bodies on the cots, this haze, Nightwolf being all zoned out, the guards and Sheeva trying to stop me; Nightwolf must be healing these Shokan.

My epiphany was short-lived, because my vision started to fade and dim. I got incredibly dizzy, and the shouts of Sheeva and her guards' voices all melded into one another. With Nightwolf's dead stare on me I dropped unconscious onto my side.

* * *

**A/N: This is short, but it's just to get the ball rolling again. In the next chapter we'll have more of Rain and Mileena interaction as they finally make it to the lair; just letting you know, our foul-mouthed anti-heroine is in for a bit of trouble. **

**Please if you would be so kind as to leave a review you'd make my heart swell with pride and love and joy and all those warm sentimental feelings. Seriously, though, leave one if you feel so inclined, lol! Until next time, **

**~DymondGold~**


	35. Ensnared

**Here's a somewhat quicker update, Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: None of the themes/characters/settings belong to me, it's all Netherealm Studios' property.**

* * *

**Chapter Thirty-Five**

* * *

Upside down and dazed out my mind was how I woke up this morning. My head felt like it was about to explode from where all the blood had rushed to it. The grass and dirt of the earth were in my immediate view; it looked like I was parallel to the ground. I tried to sit up and noticed my hands were bound behind my back. And speaking of backs, my cheek was pressed against the top of someone else's. I began squirming. When I felt the person pinch my thigh with their slender fingers, the nails digging into the flesh of my upper leg painfully, I cried out.

"Be still." they told me.

I recognized the voice and doubled my efforts. I managed to knock the prince in the mouth with my bound hands, and consequently got dropped on my bottom. I glared up at Rain as he rubbed his thumb over his lower lip. He had his hair down for once. At his waist looped onto his belt by its neck was the container of truth serum; it looked like he had made haste in collecting his end of the deal.

With practiced ease I twisted my arms from behind my back out in front of me and saw that it was Rain's own customary silk headband that bound my wrists. I yanked at them and tried to slide it off but the prince had done a damn good job with the knots.

"Rain, what the hell?" I protested, "Untie me!"

"No," he replied, "You're my prisoner. That's what we agreed on."

Oh yeah, I did agree to that, at least to get me through the door. The binds were a little much, though. And did he have to lug me over his shoulder like a sack of rice? Ah well, no use complaining; dicks will be dicks.

"Come on, we're wasting time." Rain said as he stepped forward to pick me back up.

I held my hands out in front of me, up towards where he stood. He put his arms behind his head and looked down at me with a brow raised delicately. I thought it was obvious what I wanted but I supposed to him I'd have to spell it out.

"Untie me." I snapped.

"No." he said flatly.

He bent down and hoisted me back over his shoulder. I tried to situate myself but there was no way I could get comfortable. At least he didn't have his armor on. I ended up resting my chin on my bound hands with my elbows resting on the back of his shoulders.

Rain kept walking and I tried to watch the scenery. It was that or his ass; I didn't have a very varied view at the moment. We were making steady progress to the lair but the quick gait at which he traveled kept jostling me. This whole experience was just inconvenient. I shifted and again he pinched my thigh.

"Stop that!" I cried.

"Then be still," He told me.

"I can't," I said, "Just put me down."

He sighed and drummed his fingers on my legs, "No. Now stop whining. You're lucky I don't gag you."

"Try it and you _die__," _I growled.

I turned my upper body around to see where we were going. There was an old rusty black gate just a few feet ahead. Rain stepped over to it then began walking around to its side. He used his foot to kick open a hatch, then started stepping down a series of stairs. I couldn't see what was beyond the gate before things got dark. That's when I turned back around and watched the light of day slowly fade as we got lower into the place. It looked like this lair was underground as well. What was it with Pasty and subterranean hideouts?

Rain almost tripped.

His feet must've slipped out from under him or that last stair-step may have caught him off guard, either way he lost his balance and we both went down. With him on top. He may have been lean but he was heavy and knocked the wind out of me. Plus something sharp had sliced into my thigh. I shoved the prince off me immediately and sat up in the dark hall.

There was enough dim light from the few torches lining the extremely narrow hall for me to see the basic layout of the place. The floors and ceilings were made of gridlock metal, the walls of plated metal, and a few metal doors were closed shut on both the left and right side of the corridor. It felt very constricting. At the end of the hall was a large door, and I assumed that was where Pasty was.

Attempting to analyze the cut I felt from earlier I took a look at my thigh. It was bleeding, alright, but not all of the sticky liquid was blood. I stared closely at my thigh and then at Rain's hip. The glass container of truth serum had shattered when he fell.

"You clumsy bastard." I berated him. "Look what you did!"

"I'm _not_ a bastard!" Was his immediate retort.

He sat back on his heels and observed the bits of broken glass, then my injured leg. He rolled his eyes and started to crawl towards me, into my lap. Warily I scooted back and soon hit the opposite wall in this narrow hall. I couldn't use my hands to keep him at bay because they were still tied.

"What are you doing? Get back," I warned.

"I had orders from the emperor not to harm you." Rain explained shortly, "If he sees this I'll be penalized."

"I thought you didn't serve the emperor," I remarked.

"Yes, but he doesn't know that," Rain quipped, then looked over his shoulders anxiously.

He then crouched in between my legs and put his hand over the cut one. In slow circles he massaged the artificial wound, rubbing away the blood and serum as well. I think some of that got into my bloodstream but I wasn't sure. At first his ministrations stung badly from how hard he was impressing his fingers into the cut, but then he added a coat of water over his hand and cooled the area. In seconds my thigh was healed.

He looked up at me and I swallowed. Our faces were quite close, and from this perspective I could make out how different the prince looked with his hair down. His long, silky black locks framed his face and brushed his shoulders, curled under his chin. It was the same glossy shade as his thin brows and dark eyes. He and I stared at each other. Then Rain looked down at his thumb, which had also gotten cut. He frowned and stuck it in his mouth.

I gestured to my hands again, "Aren't you gonna untie me now?"

He shook his head and stood. I did as well, and he moved to pick me back up. This time he held me in a more bridal-style position. I brought my hands up to my chest and let him carry me. Still I worked at my binds. I had to admit, I did feel different. Was it the serum that had gotten into me? I tried to remember the side effects that were written on the little slip of paper. No, it wasn't the serum, something else. Something niggling at the back of my mind, at the edge of my memory. Sooner than I could recall it Rain and I had arrived at the last door at the end of the hall. He adjusted me so that he could knock on the door two curt times.

"From here on out, you're on your own." He told me.

"Good," I muttered.

About seven or eight deadbolts were heard sliding on the other side before the heavy metal entrance swung open. At first I couldn't see anything, but in an instant the master of the lair stepped into the doorway. It was old Paste-Face himself. He looked a bit. Shitty.

Pasty surveyed the both of us and looked beyond Rain suspiciously. He narrowed his eyes and kept the doorway blocked.

"Have you come alone?" he asked solemnly.

Rain bowed his head low, next to mine, and stated, "Yes my liege."

The emperor stepped aside and allowed Rain to carry me into the room. It was like the rest of the lair in that it had dark grid-metal floors and ceilings and plated metal walls. All along the room about six feet off the ground were thin shelves that held stacks of papers, tools, weapons, and talismans of every kind. Trinkets and amulets littered each of the metal slats sticking out of the windowless walls. There was a twin-sized bed in the middle of the room with black linen sheets and one long pillow across the top. No other furniture or personal items could be seen. Obviously the sorcerer wasn't one for luxury.

"I am impressed, Rain." Pasty murmured. "For this you'll be rewarded."

He folded his arms and stepped over to the door. "Place her on the bed."

Rain must not have heard the emperor right because he walked over to the bed and dropped me rudely. I had half a mind to kick him since my legs were free but chose not to. Instead I sat with my feet near the floor in case I had to run and worked at my binds. They were really _really _good knots, damn that prince!

"What is that on your arm?" The emperor asked of Rain.

Now that he wasn't carrying me anymore I could see that over Rain's right arm hanging from his shoulder was my satchel. I mean Nightwolf's satchel that he let me use. I didn't even notice him with it. It made me very nervous to see it in their hands.

"That's mine," I declared.

"I confiscated it from the wench," Rain boasted.

"Search it." Pasty ordered. "You are dismissed."

Rain nodded and started for the door like the little whipped bitch I knew he was. Pasty was right behind him, shutting the heavy metal entrance and locking each of the deadbolts slowly. It felt weird, being alone with the sorcerer, and with each slide of the locks I became more aware and more frightened of the situation at hand. But that fear hardly consumed me.

I sat with my back straight as he strode over towards me. He was still the same bald bastard he was before. He kept his arms folded and stood across from me with his knees nearly touching mine. His roving crimson eyes appraised me and his black lips twisted in a smirk. He didn't say anything, just kept staring at me. It was unnerving.

I shifted and squeezed my legs together with my hands beside them clutching a fistful of the fabric of the sheets. I swallowed and worried my lip. Why wasn't he saying anything?

Pasty reached out with his left hand and I flinched instinctively even before it made contact with my cheek. His fingers were cold and his thumb iced over my bottom lip intimately. I pursed my mouth and turned my head in the other direction, away from his wanting red eyes.

I heard him murmur, "Shang Tsung truly outdid himself with his last creation."

His fingers were against my jaw, he used them to turn my face back towards his. It was an odd, unwelcome sensation to have his nails scraping the underside of my chin when he tilted my head backwards a little. I shivered.

"Don't touch me," I whispered.

"I'll do more than that," was his promise.

How he remained stony-faced in lieu of his dark words was beyond me. I tried not to let its implications settle in just yet.

"Now tell me," he continued lowly, "how did a clever little thing like you get captured by...Rain?"

If I didn't know any better, I'd say he was making a jab at the demigod. I decided to put up a front to hide how very disconcerted I was by the entire predicament I was in.

Boldly I replied, "I didn't."

"Explain," he demanded quietly.

"Untie me first." I spoke neutrally.

His tone was inquisitive, "Is that an order?"

"Please?" I added for effect.

The sorcerer reached down and, keeping his gaze locked on mine, slipped his glowing fingers over the main knot and burned it in half. I rubbed at the chaffed skin and then groped myself subtly. To my dismay, my sai's were nowhere on me. Which meant Rain had probably took them, the bastard.

"I'm waiting, Mileena." Pasty stated.

Just hearing my name coming from that low baritone made me shudder, and not in the good way. Usually those deep, sexy voices turn me on but right now it's just making me sick. Everything Paste-Face is doing right now makes me wanna hurl, actually. Like his hands on my kneecaps.

"I let Rain capture me." I somehow managed to say without conveying my disgust.

Pasty rubbed his palms over the bare skin of my legs and inched his head to the left minutely. He narrowed his eyes curiously.

"And why would you do that?" he asked, bending down a bit more.

Okay, I know how to work people. I've been manipulating others for quite some time now, and there are signs that tell me if a person, male or female, is the type to fall prey to my machinations. Everything Pasty's been doing, the closeness and the touching and the expressions of his obvious interest, it all lets me know that maybe he isn't as asexual as I first thought. I decided to do a little test to see if I was onto something, I call it the leg test. I opened my legs in a seemingly subconscious manner. Predictably he stepped in between them.

Well this was shocking. I would never have pegged Paste Face as _that _type but who knew? My methods just might work. I placed my hands over his on top of my knees and leaned forward.

Slyly I told him, "I knew Rain would take me to you. And that's what I wanted."

"Go on." Pasty said.

"A little while ago you made me an offer, and I refused." I said simply.

Then I tilted my head and blinked prettily, "But I've changed my mind."

With a blank mind I slid my hands seductively over his hands and up his arms, all the way around his neck. He was still bending over so this wasn't hard, at least not physically. Inside I was fighting against this but knew it seemed to be working on him.

"If you'd maybe...reconsider?" I trailed, gazing at him innocuously.

The sorcerer inclined his head and asked, "You wish to serve me?"

I nodded, "Only you," I breathed.

He was silent. In that time he had moved his hands over my hips and back down to my knees very slowly. His touch was like being assaulted by a slimy slug, cold and heavy were his hands and it prickled my skin, even from under my clothes.

"There was a time when that offer may have appealed to me," he said at last, standing. "But that time has passed."

That was _so _not what I wanted to hear. I deflated and didn't care if it showed. I did all that shit for nothing, Nightwolf was right. Pasty had changed his mind after all.

"You can't be trusted," he explained.

"Yes I can," I lied.

He paused, "Hm. Prove it."

"How?" I questioned.

"Tell me what Ermac and Noob Saibot are planning." he asked bluntly.

I was taken aback. I didn't have the time to figure out if it would be in anyone's best interest, mainly mine, to sell out the duo.

"How would I know what they're planning?" I snapped.

Seduction was pretty much gone out the window by now. I was just aggravated that I had done all that and it still hadn't worked.

"You were among them, were you not?" he inquired.

"Yeah. But I don't know what they're planning." I responded.

It was true enough. Ermac and Noob didn't tell me anything, the little I did know I found out on my own or Rain told me. Just like he probably told Pasty I was with Ermac and Noob.

"How disappointing," he said flatly.

I was losing control over the situation here. I scrambled for an excuse or ploy to win him over and came up with none. I probably sounded a little desperate when I told him to wait.

"I could find out for you," I said coyly, "If you let me."

Pasty sighed, "Why should I risk it when I could just send Rain, who I know is loyal, instead?"

Hm, I didn't know whether to applaud Rain for his great acting since he obviously had the emperor fooled, or to sneer at Paste Face's gullibility. How could he trust Rain, of all people?

"That would be hard," I reasoned, "Considering Ermac and Noob are hunting him. They'd kill him on sight."

He deliberated. The sorcerer sauntered over to me and took me by the hands, lifting me off of the bed. He took me into his arms, very close, and dipped his head.

"Your offer is enticing," He said, "But I can't afford to trust you right now, not when so many have already turned against me."

"I won't," I insisted.

"So you say." he replied.

He had worked his hand up from my waist to the back of my head. There was a stinging heat at the base of my skull and then everything faded to black.

* * *

The room was compact. The bed he sat on was not really a bed at all, more of a cot hanging from each end by chains in the wall. Rain sat with his feet swinging over the edge, to enthralled by what he was reading to complain about his meager accommodations. He had the satchel on the metal bed beside him lying open. From the canteen of water he freely drank and even nibbled some of the dried beef he'd turned his nose up at earlier. Again and again he read over the wrinkled parchment, unbelieving of what he was seeing. How could it be that the shaman (since he'd deduced that was the author of the letter) had such feelings for Mileena? She was a born and bred harlot, she was loud and foul-mouthed. And she got on his last nerve. Obviously she must have bewitched the poor sap, Rain presumed. That was the only way the unfathomable letter could have been written.

The emperor's footfalls resounded out in the narrow hall and Rain hastily folded and shoved the paper into his pocket. It was just in his nature to hide things. And to steal; he'd learned it early on in his youth growing up in the Resistance.

The emperor entered the tiny room and Rain stood only to bow before the sorcerer. Rain was getting really sick of all the bowing. He couldn't wait until he had the amulet for himself, then he'd accrue so much power that others would be bowing to him. That was the way it should be. He was a son of Argus after all, albeit an illegitimate one as Mileena inadvertently reminded him. He was a bastard, but that mattered not. _  
_

Rain felt the weight and chill of metal fall around his neck and looked down at the chain Chi had just placed on him. He stood to his full height and observed the gold and emerald creation. It couldn't be the real thing, the emperor's amulet...could it? He glanced up at the sorcerer in confusion.

Chi responded, "You have served me well Rain, for that I reward you. What you see around your neck is a replica of my own amulet. As you wear it, it increases your powers nearly five-fold and allows you to travel inter-dimensionally through the use of portals."

Rain let his shoulders fall. He knew it was too good to be true. He didn't want some cheap copy of the amulet, he wanted the real thing!

_And I shall have it, _he vowed, _in time._

* * *

"Are you well?"

It was a very relative question. He supposed he was well, as well as he could be given the circumstances. He was in the middle of a war and had to deal with the constant threat on his people. Leaving them had worn on his mind greatly during the night. As did the absence of his love. Mileena was in Outworld as well, he knew, and his heart grieved for her, wherever she was. He knew that she was in danger but wasn't able to do much about that. She insisted on going alone. She was the definite focus of his anxiety last night. He had only slept because of the herbs he packed especially for the purpose of making him do so against his will. After he'd ingested them, sleep had come soon enough and now he was awake mid-morning with the same troubles weighing on his shoulders. So when the Shokan elite had showed up in his personal tent to deliver him food and a warm greeting, these flurrying thoughts came into play.

"Well enough," he told her plainly.

Sheeva set the tray of food down near Nightwolf's feet and stood back a respectful distance.

"Isn't this a bit much?" Nightwolf asked with a quiet smile.

Sheeva nodded. She would be the first to admit the recent shortages of different crops, including the assorted fruit and bread displayed in the lavish breakfast. Quan Chi's wave of dark energy destroyed plenty of farmland and it would take much time for that land to become tillable again, if ever.

"The process was a success," she explained, "Take this sacrifice as a small token of our gratitude."

Nightwolf nodded once and wished he could enjoy the food but he could not. All he thought about was Mileena, and if she was eating this morning or if she had to go without. He tried his best to supply her with something to fill her stomach for a little while and he hoped it would last. His love going hungry? It was almost too much while he feasted on so decadent a meal.

"We can return with our forces to the village whenever you're ready." Sheeva declared.

The chief finished his food morosely only because he knew he'd need the food to keep up his strength. He drank the proffered water from a canteen in one of Sheeva's hands and stood.

"Let us be on our way then." He said.

Sheeva led him to the flap of the tent but suddenly stopped. Nightwolf faced her with vague concern. Most of it was still going towards his love at the moment.

"Is there something wrong?" He asked politely.

Sheeva shook her head, "No it's just. Mileena was here last night."

Nightwolf froze. "Mileena?" he whispered incredulously, "Here?"

"She wanted to speak with you," Sheeva continued, "But naturally I stopped her. I don't know what she wanted."

"Why?" Nightwolf frowned.

"Excuse me?" Sheeva replied, crossing a couple of her arms.

"Why did you stop her?" He asked.

Sheeva furrowed her brow, "Well you were in the middle of your ritual. And I had no idea what her intentions were."

"Of course," was all he said.

Nightwolf's heart sank. He knew that nobody trusted and cared for Mileena the way that he did. _Of course Sheeva would be wary of her_, he thought. Still, he wished he could have seen her, or had some recollection of doing so last night. It is impossible for any one or thing to get through to him once he's began his Regenesis technique, so even if Mileena had leapt into his lap and kissed him he wouldn't be able to recall it.

"Where is she now?" Nightwolf asked.

Sheeva shrugged, "I don't know. She fainted after being exposed to the mist your ritual created, and I took her to a spare tent for questioning upon her awakening. However, she was collected later in the night by the demigod Rain."

"And you let him take her?" Nightwolf softly accused.

He was trying not to get enraged because he knew nobody cared for his love the way he did. He shouldn't expect them to act in her best interest.

"Rain was swift in taking her." Sheeva explained.

Now that was nothing if not disturbing in the highest sense. Nightwolf had feared the worst when Mileena left, and now to find out she was in the demigod's hands once more. He knew he couldn't protect her from everything, but he hated knowing she was in the company of that prince and the emperor.

**Those swine! If they harm her we'll rip their flesh from their bones! Tear out their teeth from their gums and skin them alive! **

It would seem Nightwolf's inner companion was also incensed by this latest bit of news. He calmed himself though. He did have to handle business first, as much as it pained him. He wanted so badly to swoop in and rescue Mileena from the demigod's clutches but the problem was she may not have captured. She did tell Sonya that she was traveling with Rain, so that may be a facet of their complex partnership. He shook his head wearily.

Worrying about his little woman was severely depressing him. He really did need to focus on getting back to the village before the emperor made his move.

* * *

There was placidity in the village; surprisingly this was a bad thing. A few members of Nightwolf's fledgling alliance felt the unease associated with this suspicious peace. They stood assembled in the evacuated village square, waiting for the three members or the chief to return.

"Mighty quiet round here," Jax remarked, then added, "Got a bad feeling."

Stryker was quick to concur, "Yeah. Like the calm before a storm."

With a bit of hesitance Sonya thought, _maybe that's a good thing. Must mean Mileena's stalling him, or at least I hope that's why he hasn't attacked yet. _

The chirping of electricity broke the tension somewhat as the belated members appeared. Raiden, Kung Lao, and Kitana walked somberly over to the rest of their team. Jade embraced her friend and noticed how downtrodden the princess and monk looked.

"So I'm guessing no luck?" she said softly.

Kitana shook her head and Kung Lao just looked away. The princess made her way over to Sonya and stepped closer than was necessary for proper conversation. While Jade engaged Kung Lao in civil words of comfort, Kitana leaned in towards the soldier.

"Did you hear from Mileena?" she whispered.

Sonya nodded, "She should be at the new lair by now."

"I'm worried," Kitana admitted.

"About Liu?" Sonya predicted.

"About both of them." Kitana said, "Mostly Mileena. Chi is unsavory and could really hurt her."

Sonya inclined her head and shrugged, "I doubt it. Mileena's pretty tough. She can handle him."

Kitana wasn't convinced. "I hope you're right," she said.

She had grown awfully fond of her 'sister' and would most certainly hate to see her hurt.

* * *

**A/N: You know what to do, leave a review please! It's short again, I should stop typing around midnight ;3**

**In the next chapter, you'll get to find out what happens to our dear Liu Kang! Also what happens to Mileena, and Rain, and Nightwolf, and maybe our dynamic duo; Ermac/Noob. So stay tuned! Until next time, **

**~DymondGold~**


	36. Enlightened

**The wait is over, the next chapter is here! Enjoy :)**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing related to the Mortal Kombat franchise, be it settings, characters, themes, or the like.**

* * *

**Chapter Thirty-Six**

* * *

Very slowly I woke up and when I did I felt so weak. It was crippling. I was lying on my side with my cheek pressed against the cold metal floor and my arms up to my neck. I blinked a few times and could see bars in front of me. And a pair of slim boots kicking against those bars repeatedly. The motion kept knocking little specks of dirt from the flat heels into my eyes and I spluttered. With difficulty I sat up and rubbed at my face, then looked around. I was a bit dizzy so I sat still for a moment, surveying my surroundings. I found I was in a cage, and gripped the bars desperately. I scuttled around the length of the small prison and could find no escape. Suddenly the owner of the slim, fashionable boots leapt from their perch above me and landed in a crouch a couple of feet away. It was Rain.

He came and sat regally down in front of me, on the other side of the bars. He leaned back on his arms and spread his legs wide open. He still had his hair down and sported a light smirk.

"You're awake," he spoke, "Must mean the drugs are wearing off."

I frowned, "What drugs?"

"The emperor drugged you a while ago and put me in charge of you." he explained.

"Why am I in a cage?" I asked.

I sat back and crossed my legs and arms. It was an insult and it was making me claustrophobic. Couldn't Pasty have just put me in a regular cell? And Rain is my jailer? Gods help me.

"The cage suits you, if you ask me." the prince mused.

"Well I didn't," I snapped, "Now let me out."

"Why should I?" Rain asked.

I rubbed at my arms, "Cause I'll be gone then, I'll be out your way."

Rain chuckled, "You could be lying, so I won't risk it. Besides, you're not in my way now so you're better off where you're at."

"Let me out or I'll tell Pasty you're trying to steal his amulet," I threatened.

Again Rain laughed, "He won't believe a word you say; why do you think he locked you up in this cage? He doesn't trust you."

I huffed out a breath and knew the demigod was right. Nightwolf was right, too. If I was lucky, I'd live to tell him that. He was right, I shouldn't have done this alone. But I got myself into this predicament so it's up to me to get out of it.

"If anyone has incriminating information," Rain drawled, "It's me."

I eyed him impatiently, "What are you talking about?"

Rain's dark eyes lit up excitedly. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a familiar looking paper. I knew exactly what that was, and was instantly enraged.

"How dare you?" I seethed. "That's mine!"

"I know," he smirked, "I read it."

I wasn't fast enough: I slammed myself against the bars and stuck out my arm but Rain hurriedly stood and put the paper out of my reach. He crossed his arms behind his back and shook his head disdainfully.

"It's sick how you put that shaman under your spell, wench." Rain remarked.

It took me a minute to calm down. I wanted to shred his eyes out its sockets for reading that letter. I think it's better that Rain read it than Pasty, though. The worst Rain could do is jeer at me. I didn't even want to think of what the sorcerer would do had he been the one to have gotten hold of this information. I shuddered and was actually grateful for Rain's interception. But I still wanted to scratch his eyes out; he had no business reading that letter.

"You had to have bewitched him," Rain continued, "To make him write those things."

I scoffed, "Do you hear yourself right now? I didn't put a spell on him. Nightwolf wrote that letter because he loves me."

"Loves you?" Rain repeated.

I rolled my eyes, "Yeah, love. Heard of the concept?"

"Love is a useless sentiment." Rain scorned.

"No it's not," I protested, "But of course you'd say that. You're so stuck on yourself you'll probably never find a wife."

"I don't need _love_ to find a wife, Mileena," Rain told me assuredly. "Women of all races are drawn to me."

"Really now?" I drawled.

"I could have any woman I want." He boasted confidently, "Including you...If I put my mind to it."

"You wish, " I retorted. "Just let me out." I demanded.

"Ready to run back to your lover already?" he sneered.

I smirked, "Hm, maybe. Are you jealous?"

"No!" He shouted quickly.

"Really? 'Cause it sounds like you are," I said innocently.

"I'm not," Rain growled.

I grinned, "You sure?"

He narrowed his eyes.

"You know," I mused, "You may say you hate me and all, but I think the truth is...you really do want me."

"Tch, don't get me confused with that weak shaman." he snorted.

I cut my eyes, "Don't be mad just 'cause Nightwolf's more of a man than you are, pretty boy."

Rain ground his teeth, "Don't compare me to him! I'm a royal, nothing like that savage."

I clenched my fists and glared at him, "Royal or not, he could still kick your prissy ass and so can I!"

"I doubt it," Rain derided.

"Let me out of this cage and I'll show you," I cajoled.

Rain stood, "I don't think so."

He stretched his arms over head and strode over to the bed. He sprawled out on his back over top the linen sheets and took his necklace from around his throat. A green and bronze amulet hung from the linked metal. Rain swung his trinket back and forth in front of his face hypnotically.

"How many ugly, cheap chains do you need?" I commented.

Rain stopped swinging the medallion and gathered the chain into his hand. He didn't look my way but dropped both his arms flat on the bed.

"It's not cheap, it's pure gold," he informed me languidly, then added, "And you have no taste in fine jewelry whatsoever, so I'm not offended."

"If you say so," I shot back at him.

"It's not just a chain, by the way," he kept on, "It's a gift. From the emperor. It multiplies my power."

I let out a little giggle. It was incredibly funny to me how stupid Rain could be sometimes. That gift of his was probably some kind of tracking device or something. It was hardly likely that Pasty would actually give Rain something to increase his power, especially with the sorcerer being so paranoid now. Rain had to be awfully gullible to believe otherwise.

"What's so funny?" Rain asked tersely.

"N-nothing," I snickered.

"Well then be quiet," Rain grouched.

I had messed with him enough today, I wasn't about to burst his High Majesty's bubble. I just had a feeling that the chain would come back to bite him and found pleasure in knowing this. So instead of warning him, I knew he wouldn't listen to me anyway, I laughed one last time and rubbed my arms. It was freezing in this lair. No lie.

Rain rolled over in the bed with his back facing me and yanked the covers over him. Those covers looked pretty toasty from over here in the cage. I shivered and didn't remember feeling this cold before, even with Pasty looming over me. In fact, I felt very abnormal, now that I thought about it. My skin was tingling and the little hairs on my bare legs were standing on end. Goosebumps I think they were called.

"What kind of drugs did Pasty give me?" I called out.

Rain didn't reply, didn't move. I repeated the question but got no response. Maybe he was asleep already, or maybe he was ignoring me; either way I wasn't getting answers. I pouted sulkily, then beamed mischievously. I knew how to get the prince talking.

"Rain." I said clearly. No answer.

"Rain." I repeated.

"Rain."

"Rain."

"Raaain." I sang.

"I know you hear me."

"Rain."

"Rain I know you're not sleep."

"Rain."

"Rain stop ignoring me."

"Rain."

"Raaaaaain!"

With each taunting call I was raising my voice. Now I began to chant.

"RainRainRainRainRainRainRain RainRa-"

"Stop it!" The prince growled.

He sat up in the bed and threw his feet over the edge of the bed, rubbing his eyes and wearing a tight frown. When he dropped his hands by his sides he leveled me with a frustrated glower.

"What do you want?" he asked exasperatedly.

"I'm cold." I stated frankly.

He groaned and garnered the black sheet from the bed around him, then tossed it my way. It landed close enough to the cage where I could pull it in through the bars. Rain splayed out on his stomach and nested his head on his folded arms.

"...Thanks." I muttered.

"Just keep your mouth shut." he grumbled.

Even with the sheet wrapped around my body and over my head I felt weird. Not cold anymore, but still very strange. My muscles were restless, I wanted to get up and run around, or punch something. I felt all hyped up inside. It couldn't be the drugs doing this to me. Or maybe. I didn't have a clue, and I was getting nervous.

_Bet he's poisoned you, _that voice predicted, _Bet there's no cure either. You'll probably die in this damn cell. _

Hm. I hadn't really needed to hear that, it only augmented my fears. And I hadn't exactly missed that voice either. It never had anything useful to say. It was imperative that I get out of this cage and see where Pasty had gotten off to. Hopefully he hasn't left the lair yet. And if he has, oh well. I suppose I'd have to try and get back to Nightwolf.

I kicked at the cage with both my feet and wasn't surprised when it didn't budge. There was no way I could get out of this cage. Not with brute strength alone. It was funny because I started to recall the oddest memory. It was one of me and the Prick, training one afternoon in the village. He was telling me some outrageous story of how he made a man's guts explode just by willing them to do so. He tried to convince me the might of sheer power of will. He claimed that since he's mastered control over his will he could do just about anything. I couldn't see what that had to do with my current situation, unless I were to apply his bogus notion to the metal prison's mental destruction.

Figuring I might as well give it a shot, I gripped the cold columns of steel in each hand. I let the sheet slide off my shoulders as I concentrated hard on making them bend or melt or disappear or explode. Then this crazy thing happened.

Nothing.

Well, something did happen, but I chalked it up to the alleged drugs Pasty shot in me. I saw my hands flame a bright pink for like a half-second. I blinked and looked away, but the problem wasn't in my eyes. When I gazed back at my hands, turning them over delicately, I saw the color gradually fade and my natural tan hue returned. That was the spark that lit my mind aflame with memories from the day before.

Walking in on Nightwolf while he was in healing mode, the restlessness in my muscles, the hyper-awareness, and my hands changing colors: I had my powers back! Maybe my claws and teeth remained unchanged, but I knew for a fact that the magic I once possessed had been returned to me. I willed forth the energy to my hands and they glowed a bright magenta.

"Yes!" I shouted.

Rain shifted angrily on the bed. I burst into silent, giddy laughter. This was perfect! Absolutely perfect! Why didn't I remember that I got in on Nightwolf's healing sooner? Oh well, can't change the past. I just had to take advantage of the time I had now. And that I did.

Carefully I channeled my pink aura to my fingers and gripped the metal bars in between my digits. I worked away at the cage, melting and pulling away chunks of steel quietly. I didn't want to disturb Rain. The sooner he got to sleep, the better. I didn't want to have to go through him to get out of here. I had faith in my powers, but I only just got them back. Steadily I ripped my way through my iron cage until I had pried a good sized gap open. I brushed the small pile of metal chinks to the other side of the space and tentatively crawled out of it, onto the cold grid-lock floor.

Sitting back against the side of the bed was the first thing I did. I could see that there was no padlock on the cage at all, so even if he wanted to Rain couldn't have freed me. he just made it seem like he had that kind of power. Looks like Paste Face didn't trust his lackey too much after all.

"Alright, I've got to get out of here." I whispered.

But first, I had to leave my mark. I stalked on all fours over from the foot to the head of the bed and slowly stood. I leaned over Rain and watched him sleep. His eyes were closed, his chest was falling and rising rhythmically, he looked to be at peace. And he looked so devastatingly handsome.

His lashes, his thin brows looked too elegant for such a stupid, ill-mannered tool. It was a cruelty of the universe, I supposed, for him to have such a beautiful face and toned body, or at least what I could see of it. Well to be honest I'd seen almost all of it through our travels together. It was hard to forget that kind of a physique, but I tried my best.

Bunched up in one of his hands was the fitted sheet of the bed. In his other was his prized medallion, the one he supposedly got from Pasty. I got a wicked idea that I just couldn't resist. I tickled his wrist with my fingertips and got him to slacken his grip on the golden chain, then I swiped it. Rain reacted immediately and grabbed the back of my hand. I froze.

His eyes were still closed and yet he moved. He locked his fingers in mine and brought my palm to his lips. They were like dewy petals over my hot skin. With a slight cringe I pulled my hand free and tossed the amulet under the bed. Rain slept on.

That was creepy, and definitely my cue to leave.

"Ah, are you kidding me?" I groaned to myself.

When I crossed the room I saw a huge dilemma. On the exit there were about a million locks to be undone. Since I had my powers back I could probably plow through the door with no problem, but I really didn't want to deal with the prince.

Very gently I slid the first deadbolt over, and looked over my shoulder to see if Rain had awoken. He hadn't, so I continued with the second and third locks. By the fifth I got excited, and after two more I was done. I had to take a deep breath to get control over the deluge of adrenaline emanating from within me.

"Alright. You got this." I whispered with my eyes closed.

Upon opening them and surveying the room I saw that Rain was still asleep. Walking backwards I kept my eyes on him and gravely shut the door. The click of the gears and hinges locking into place was incredibly reassuring.

"I...I made it," I grinned.

I examined myself in the narrow hall and found that I was wearing the same shorts, moccasins, and shirt. I had to find my sai's and the satchel, so I trekked silently down the corridor in search of them. One room down the hall had its door wide open, and just my luck my satchel and sai's were on the metal cot. I ducked into the room and collected them. It was evident from the lightness that somebody had drank from one of the canteens of water. And the jar of meat had been tampered with as well. It had to have been Rain but whatever. Back into the loops of my shorts I stuck my sai's. Just to be sure they were still there, I channeled my powers to my fingertips. They glowed faithfully.

"Kay. Just checking." I spoke softly.

Now I could officially leave this place. That emptiness that had been present ever since Pasty hit me with his technique had almost been filled. I felt better knowing I had my powers back at my beck and call. I wasn't totally healed, but I would be. As soon as I got back to Nightwolf. Which would be as soon as I got out this lair. Which would be as soon as I found the exit.

As it was I was padding down the hall with no clue where I was going. There were plenty of doors to my left and right; they could lead me to an escape or to the sorcerer. I didn't remember going through a door, though. I remembered going down some stairs, and I remembered Rain's clumsy ass tripping over his feet and dropping me. There weren't any stairs in this direction, though, so with a sigh I turned and started in the other one.

"The bitch!" I heard, and then a door slammed heavily.

I jumped and hurriedly slipped into a random room on my left. It was dark and the floors were dirt instead of metal. I shut the door down to a little slit in the wall and peeked through the crack. I couldn't see much but could hear footsteps getting closer. It was Rain. He was swearing and stomping through the hall. He strode right past the door I was in without looking twice. I waited a full minute before I quit holding my breath to make sure he was gone. He didn't come back, and several minutes passed with me just cramped against the door.

"I guess he's gone." I remarked.

"Nngh."

I couldn't help it, I shrieked a little and jolted a lot. That groan had scared me! It came from behind me, too. In the dark I couldn't see a thing but with my powers I could light things up. I flared the pink energy around my hands like flames and saw how small the little room really was. What stood out the most among the cobwebs and mildew was the rusty old cage in the dead center. Slumped over on his side was none other than that monk whose name escaped me. I sighed, because I knew what I had to do.

_Just leave him, _that voice suggested, _he's not your problem. _

I couldn't just leave him here. He was bound and writhing every so often in what looked like intense pain. His bodysuit was intact, but it didn't look like it was doing him much good when it came to protection. His hair hung around his extra-pale face and clung to his cheeks, neck, and cherry lips. Shut tightly were his eyes and furrowed were his black brows. He must be drugged as well, though with what I wasn't sure. I didn't feel nearly as bad as how he appeared to be feeling, though.

"Hey, uh, you alright?" I asked.

_Of course he's not alright, _I thought in hindsight. He shuddered and rolled to and fro in the tiny space. His cage was way too small for him. I rubbed my arms and decided to do the right thing. I didn't have a choice. No way would Nightwolf or Kitty-Kat let me live this down; walking out of here and leaving the monk to fend for himself, I mean.

I bent down on my knees and made short work of the bars on the cage. I was able to melt them down completely and pull them out of the way. I had to knock the top off as well since there was no way I'd fit inside it. When I had the cell completely destroyed, I crawled over to the monk and hovered above him. He was sweating, but shivering.

"What did Pasty do to you?" I wondered.

He was in a cage half his size, his skin was a terrible sick grey pallor, his binds were way to tight, and he was twisting and turning like he was caught in a nightmare. It was apparent to me then that Pasty wanted to torture the monk. It did things to me, seeing a person this messed up. It made me feel something akin to pity but not quite. I knew what he was going through, and I felt bad for him. To an extent.

"Can you hear me?" I asked. "If you can, open your eyes."

His almond-shaped peepers remained closed so I guess he was beyond reach right now. I tore through his wrist and ankle binds and cringed at how red and agitated his flesh was around those areas. Having freed him, I sat back on my bottom and placed his head in my lap. I cradled his face in both my hands and patted his cheeks softly.

"Wake up, Ken Lee," I called softly but urgently.

That couldn't have been his name but oh well.

"Come on, get up!" I said more harshly than I should have.

He was just lucky I didn't resort to more drastic ways to wake him up. No, he was lucky I even found him. He looked to be barely hanging on. Finally he blinked and fluttered his lashes. I breathed out a sigh of relief.

"Good you're awake." I stated.

I dug into my satchel and pulled out one of the canteens of water. I unscrewed its cap and placed the spout up to the monk's lips. He didn't catch on, so I tilted the water container upwards a bit. He choked at first, then gulped down the liquid greedily. In no time he'd guzzled it all. I rose my brows and took out the other container, replacing it with the first. The monk downed it just as quickly. I had to bend over him a bit and hold the back of his head up for him.

"Jeez, when's the last time you ate or drank something?" I asked.

He gazed at me blearily and blinked infrequently. I inclined my head closer to his and was about to repeat the question when the monk leaned forward. I was taken by surprise when he pushed his cold ruby lips onto mine.

He didn't have much strength in him but he moved quite passionately for one so sick. He smoothed his hand over my neck and tried to deepen the kiss. That was where I had to break it off. I pulled back and the monk wearily dropped his head back into my lap. Lovingly he stared up at me and I blushed.

"Kitana?" He whispered faintly.

Oh. Okay. That makes sense now. I was about to ask him what on earth that was for, I mean, I know I freed him but damn, that's a little much. Now I understood though. He had taken me for my twin, he thought I was his Kitty Kat. Which begged the question; did he and Kitty do things like this all the time?

"K-Kitana?" he rasped again.

I cleared my throat, "Guess again."

The young man coughed and rubbed at his eyes. Then realization must have dawned on him because his cheeks were dusted bright pink. I could tell he was embarrassed. We both were. I gripped him under the arms and helped him to stand.

"Mileena I..." he was interrupted by a cough.

"It was a mistake," I dismissed, "Let's not mention it."

He nodded absently and tried to right himself. He was having difficulty. I threw his arm over my shoulder and let him lean most of his weight on me.

"Can you walk?" I asked.

He nodded.

"Good, then let's go." I said brusquely.

"Where?" the monk croaked.

"We're gettin the hell out of here," I explained candidly.

I led the limping man out of the dark room and down the hall. The corridor was just as dark and confusing as it was before. It only took a few minutes of aimless wandering before the man's legs began to quiver. His coughs turned into hacking spells and he began to depend on me more and more with each step. He was fading fast.

It looked like he was ready to give out and I knew I wouldn't be able to carry him all the way back to Nightwolf. I wasn't sure how far I'd get with him on my back. Not far enough. Rain or Pasty would definitely catch up to me. I had to get out of here and fast. If only I could just teleport like Rain and be at the village in seconds.

"Watch out," I instructed the monk.

He slumped on the wall while I stood back and took out my sai's. His breathing in the quiet hall echoed. Each labored exhalation reverberated off the walls. I channeled my energy up to my shoulders, down my arms, through my hands all the way to the tips of my weapons. I shot a blast against the opposite wall, hoping to form a portal. I just blew out a chunk of the building instead.

I shrugged, "Not bad, not bad."

Again I tried with similar results. On the third try I gave up. I wasn't able to from portals before, don't know why I thought I could do it this time. I just.

The monk bent over on the wall and pointed animatedly as he could over to my wrist. I looked down and frowned.

"What?" I asked, "What is it?"

He struggled to speak, "H...Help."

"I'm trying to help you." I snapped. "But I'm not good at this."

He shook his head and collapsed to his knees. Immediately I went over and assisted him. When he had a firm grip on the wall again, he tapped my wrist, no, the watch on my wrist. That was what he was talking about; help as in call in for help. I smiled gratefully down at him.

"Good thinking, monk." I praised, patting his shoulder.

He smiled weakly, but his wince ruined it. I had to hurry. I tapped into the watch and called in for Sonya. It took no time for her to respond this time.

"Have you made it to the lair?" she asked severely.

"Yeah, it didn't really go as planned. I need somebody to come get us." I spoke rapidly.

"Us?" she asked, "Who is us?"

"The monk is with me." I elucidated.

"You've got Liu Kang?!" she exclaimed.

"Ow." I muttered, _so that's his name. _

"Sorry about that." Sonya stated, "How is he?"

"Terrible." I told her honestly.

"I'm tracking your location, Raiden is on his way."

I sighed, "Well you better tell him to haul ass before this guy-"

I cringed at the dull thud of the monk's body hitting the ground sounded off behind me. That couldn't be good.

* * *

_This was so good. _

_Prosperous, nurturing green land as far as his keen eye could see lay before him, as did pristine flowing rivers and a stunning sunsets balanced on the horizon. So many people, perhaps hundreds of thousands, all bowed to him. Smiling and jovial were their faces as they heralded him. On the outskirts of the enormous palace the citizens had communed around were several sentry-like guards and members of his elite army. They, too, bowed to him. _

_He witnessed their show of allegiance from the heights of his estate, the very peak of the castle. His shoulders bore the golden clasps of a deep violet cape, and his head was adorned with a gilded crown inlaid with the finest jewels. He wore the coveted amulet of Shinnok on a beauteous chain round his neck, and left his long hair to hang freely down past his chin. His dark pants were hemmed of quality-grade silk and matched his embroidered cape while his fashionable boots of deep crimson complemented the two. He felt like a king. _

_Here he was king. _

_And a king would not be complete, were it not for his most precious trinket. His little pet sat on the balcony some meters away from him. Her perch was precarious, and for fear he'd lose her to the congenial crowd below, he started towards her. She had her back to him but just as he approached her she hopped from the ledge and ducked into the double-doors leading indoors. Unthinkingly he followed her._

_The shimmering kimono-style gown she wore was thin, short, and simplistic in its scarlet and gold trim coloring. There were golden dragons embroidered all along the back of it. The back was all he could see as he trailed behind the young woman. Her short black hair was pulled into an orderly bun at the top of her head, leaving the nape of her slim neck bordered by the stiff silk collar. _

_He looked around him and knew this room to be his very own bedroom. It was just as ostentatious as it ought to be, with a high ceiling decked out in chandeliers and polished oak furniture. The dark carpet muffled the sounds of his footsteps and during his pursuit of his mistress he discarded his boots beside one of his dressers. _

_He watched her stop next to the foot of the bed. It was a grand, pure navy, four-poster canopy with cloud-like bedding that sat invitingly in the middle of the room. She fiddled with something at her waist, and in the next instant he saw her reach out her hand to the side of her and drop the obi sash of her gown. It fluttered innocuously to the ground. He felt compelled to be near her. _

_In four even strides he was behind her. He turned her round by her shoulders and searched her face. It was that of his expectation; he knew what he would find, and was glad to have found it. It was what he wanted. _

_She was what he wanted._

_He placed his hands on either side of her neck and kissed her full on. Her lips immediately began to move against his, in opposition it would seem, but to his dominance they eventually yielded. She wrapped her arms around his neck and he dipped his hands underneath her knees and scooped her up. From her mouth to her chin he kissed and nudged her head up so as to gain better access to her throat. He carried her mechanically to the bed and sat her on the edge. From there he stood back and observed her. _

_Her body mesmerized him. It was flawless. Tawny skin and dark, hypnotic eyes. Her lips parted teasingly, as did her slender, glistening legs. She reclined on her arms and threw back her head, giving it a shake. Down came her wild black hair from its restrictive binds and around her face it settled nicely. He could stand by no longer. _

_With his hands on her knees he split her legs to make room for himself. Up her thighs he let his digits roam. She lay on her back and gripped his hands, then pulled him into the bed along with her. He shrugged out of his cape, uncaring as it hit the floor. _

_Over her stomach he flattened his palms. He could feel a tentative, almost invisible undetectable bump there, and knew what it meant. She was with child. His child._

_His heir. _

_Like a hawk diving in on its prey he dropped his head over her stomach and buried his tongue in her navel. She arched into his mouth as he trailed over her body with his tongue. Skillfully guiding her out of the crimson robe he bundled the clothing and tossed it behind him. So enticing she was in only her sheer lace undergarments. _

_She smirked coyly, then rolled onto her stomach and crawled away from him. He immediately gave chase, maneuvering around the expansive navy sheets to catch her around the middle. He sat back and brought her into his lap, then caressed her hips and embraced the warm, soft skin on her back. She shivered and again escaped him. _

_This time she climbed out of the bed and started towards the balcony. He did as well, but only now did the amulet on his neck begin to affect him. It was heavy, and slowed him down so that she was able to reach the double doors before him. _

_She was not alone. _

_At the balcony standing tall and imposing in a great white wolf's pelt was the shaman. He had on his arm a fur cloak. When she neared the ledge the shaman covered her in the cloak and enveloped her in his arms. The two stood just out of his reach. _

_He was at the threshold of the balcony and could go no further. He was weighed down to his knees by the amulet. Its chain had elongated and the amulet itself had grown ten times in size so that it had him anchored to the spot. The pair began to ascend into the air, leaving him behind. Desperately he reached for her but could not make contact. _

* * *

The wraith was not in his domain. That alone exacerbated the emperor's paranoia. Of course the sorcerer didn't see his anxiety as such, more likely he thought himself to be 'justifiably suspicious'. His suspicion led him to investigate the rumors presented to him by his servant Rain. Although they couldn't be rumors if they were true, is what he thought.

_Noob Saibot's absence is clearly indicative of the rumors being true, _Chi thought. _He must be plotting with Ermac elsewhere. They want to kill me. They all want to kill me, _he thought in distress.

He strode aggravatedly through the rocky terrain of the fiery realm. The stench alone assaulted his olfactory organ in the worst of ways, the climate was one he was hardly used to despite his time spent as a denizen there. He had once vowed never to return to the realm in which he was reborn, but his suspicion had driven him back again. Now that he had confirmed the rumors to be true, or gained as much confirmation as he needed, he was ready to depart.

The thought of rewarding Rain for alerting him of such infidelity crossed his mind. He did believe Rain to be the only loyal one of his once many followers. But even the young demigod couldn't be trusted. Chi scanned over the device and found that the prince was still at the lair. He could tell as much because of the amulet he'd bequeathed to the royal.

Because the replica had been contrived from the one on the sorcerer's belt, it carried with it the same essence as the original. As long as Chi had the original, he could sense the location of the other derivative from realms away. And that location was still at the lair, from what he could understand. It was a sort of tracking device in that one piece of the amulet could be traced back to the original from wherever it was.

Chi was about to step through his customary portal away from the godsforsaken realm, but something. _Someone_. Caught his eye. He strode unassumingly over to him. When he approached the figure, they bowed respectfully before him. Or so he thought.

"Scorpion," Chi greeted coldly.

The spectre had accrued an insurmountable plethora of self discipline and control; he used his reserves of such virtues now to restrain from attacking the murderer of his clan and family. He knew he'd have his chance soon enough. He rose from his bow and stood at full height across from the necromancer.

"Where is the wraith and the host?" Chi demanded to know.

Again Scorpion reigned in his anger at having been ordered by that fiend. The sorcerer didn't notice, didn't care to even observe, the spectre's discord.

"They are in Vaeternus, staging an attack for you in three days. You should be warned." Scorpion stiffly replied.

_Just as I thought, _Quan Chi noted. To Scorpion he stated, "I have a proposition for you."

Scorpion had already begun to walk off, calling behind him gruffly, "_Not_. Interested."

The spectre teleported away from Hell to the abandoned courtyards of Vaeternus where two beings sat as kings in the old stone thrones. Ermac continued to laze in his seat upon the spectre's arrival, but Noob Saibot on his left rose.

"Did it work?" the wraith asked.

Scorpion stepped over to him, "Yes."

Ermac eyed the spectre hatefully and then glanced away. Noob reached into the folds of his hooded cloak and revealed a small satchel of onyx coins. He tossed them to Scorpion, who began to count them patiently.

Ermac watched him and sneered, "You've done your job, you've been paid, **Now get lost,"**

Scorpion halted in his task and glowered at the host. He thought of retorting but knew he didn't have to stand there and stoop to Ermac's level. The host hated him and Scorpion honestly didn't know why, but he wouldn't stay where he wasn't wanted. He turned on his heels and left for the mountains.

Noob sighed and shook his head at his partner, "That was. That was just uncalled for, Ermac."

"He doesn't need to be here." Ermac shrugged.

"No, but he did us a favor. No need to be so spiteful." Noob chided. "Ah, well, it's good to see that things are coming together." he grinned.

Ermac nodded, "That they are."

* * *

**A/N: Hope you liked this chapter! Don't ask me what I'm hinting at with Rain/Mileena because even I don't know. Definitely some UST. Shout out to anyone who can interpret the dream :)**

**You'll get to see more in the next installment so don't go too far! We'll check in with our heroes, our anti-heroes and everyone in between. **

**Please leave a review telling me all about what you think of the story so far! I appreciate it! Until next time, **

**~DymondGold~**


	37. Included

**This was supposed to be out weeks ago, I'm sorry that life got in the way again, lol. Thanks for everyone who's been faithfully reading and reviewing! This one's for you! Oh, and to the person who commissioned me for that Rain/Mileena oneshot, it's coming I promise :)**

**Thanks again for being so patient all the readers of this story! Hope you enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: None of the themes/characters/settings belong to me, it's all Netherealm Studios' property.**

* * *

**Chapter Thirty-Seven**

* * *

Five minutes; that was how long I waited before taking matters into my own hands. And by that I mean I slung the monk over my shoulder and climbed through a giant hole I'd created in the wall. Being in that lair for even a few seconds made me antsy, after five minutes I was breaking out in a sweat. I didn't want Rain to find me or Pasty to be onto my trail but that was inevitable as long as I traveled on foot. It made no difference how fast I ran or how far I got, as long as I didn't have the means to just vanish via a portal or teleportation, they'd catch up to me. Knowing this, however, I still chose to walk because it just wasn't in me to stay in that lair like a sitting duck. I wasn't about to make it easy for them.

I couldn't say that I at all regretted my decision. The packed earth ground was hot under the soles of my feet, as was the tacit fog of sunlight that permeated my pores and warmed me up inside. The weight of the man over my shoulder was barely registering; I chalked that up to the fact that I was healed, or something like that. My fangs and claws still weren't back, but my magic was. I pulled it to the tips of my fingers just in case and saw them glow reassuringly.

"Okay good." I whispered.

"Mileena."

I turned and saw who it was who had addressed me and rolled my eyes. The sight of the thunder god invoked a mild ire within me and, using my mouth as its medium, it got the better of me.

"Bout damn time you showed up!" I griped.

I wasn't really sorry so I didn't apologize. The god who had appeared so suddenly strode over and took the monk from me. I stretched my arms behind my back and felt my shirt rise up. The thunder god shifted Liu Kang.

"I apologize for the delay, but-"

I waved off his excuse, "Whatever just get us out of here."

He nodded and placed his hand over my arm, guiding me closer to him. I closed my eyes and waited for the nauseating feeling to sweep over me. The same sick sensation that accompanied the dizzying spiral of passing through space and time.

But it never came.

_That's right, _I thought, _I got healed somewhat, so I'm not human anymore. So what does that make me? Not Tarkatan obviously so...Edenian? _Shit. That would mean I was the same race as that punk Rain.

I hadn't even noticed, in my musing, what was going on around me. I was back in Nightwolf's village, and there wasn't a native in sight. Coming towards us, however, were a few of the members of his new alliance. I recognized them as my twin and the hat-clad monk who was friends with Liu Kang. They immediately approached us.

"Has Nightwolf returned?" The thunder god asked gravely. "Liu Kang is in dire need of his assistance."

As if that weren't obvious enough. The pair reached us and examined the unconscious male. Kitty gave me a brief, hesitant smile and I blinked slowly in return. I didn't know whether or not I should have reciprocated the gesture and by the time I figured I should, she was already looking over the monk again.

"Lord Raiden, Nightwolf got back a while ago," the hat-clad monk stated.

Kitana added, "He's tending to his people at the mountains."

"Then let us go there." Raiden amended.

The three of them, with Liu in tow, started off. I began to trail after them, then stopped. It wasn't that I didn't want to see Nightwolf, I just. I didn't want to get in the way and distract him. Liu was in bad shape, if he didn't get help soon he might not make it. I didn't want to stand in the way of his recovery, even if it did mean seeing Nightwolf sooner. I could wait. Or at least that's what I told myself.

It was easier to stand my ground on my decision as the backs of Raiden, the monk, and my twin got further and further away. When I could no longer see them, I blew out a sigh and settled on wandering through the village for a while.

It was incredibly quiet now that the place had been evacuated. Save for some suspicious four-armed sentries I saw posted around, the village was empty. A desolate wind swept through the area and kicked up little eddies of dust and leaves. With the satchel over my shoulder I felt a weight settle atop me again. I knew what it meant. Yeah, I did miss Nightwolf and I wanted to see him but he's busy. I didn't want to barge in and demand his attention, even though I'm almost positive he'd give it to me. Or maybe he wouldn't. Maybe he'd be just as torn as I was over the matter, maybe he'd want to see me but have the obligation of healing his ally prodding at him as well. I wouldn't make him choose. That would be cruel. I would wait.

"Hey! Mileena!"

I stopped and craned my neck over my shoulder to see who was behind me since that was where the call had come from. It was Sonya. She jogged up to me and I noticed she had on her full combat gear. Her military boots, weapons strapped at her sides, her cap and OIA paraphernalia all lent to the image of the no-nonsense, dutiful woman I'd come to know.

Once she neared me we fell into step, making our way languidly through the town. She spoke first before I could ask what she wanted.

"I need to talk to you," she stated.

I shrugged, "So talk. Wait."

"What is it?" she asked.

"What's up with those?"

I gestured ambiguously with one of my hands in the general direction of the four-armed creatures. I had never seen them around here before, and although they didn't exactly scream 'trouble', I still wanted to be sure.

Sonya looked and said, "Oh those are the Shokan. Remember the deal I told you Nightwolf made?"

"Remind me." I told her.

"Sheeva approached Nightwolf and told him that her people had been hit by Chi's curse, and that she needed him to heal them. And, knowing Nightwolf..." she trailed.

"He agreed," I finished.

Sonya nodded, "In exchange for his help, the Shokan have allied with us to protect the village from Chi's attacks."

"Oh. That's good. I guess." I said lackadaisically.

My low mood didn't dampen Sonya's in the least. She clasped her hands behind her back and gazed ahead levelly. Her back was ram-rod straight and her steps slow to match mine but even.

"They're not the only allies we've accrued. Sektor and his Tekunin are planning on lending their aid." she informed me.

I frowned, "Sektor? That Lin Kuei leader with anger issues? How did you get him on your side?"

"I. Persuaded him." She explained coyly. "A little manipulation of information gets you a long way, you know."

"I do, but that's dangerous to try with this guy," I told her. "Once he makes an enemy, he hounds the hell out of you until you're six feet under or worse."

She didn't look at all concerned, "It's okay. I'll manage. You're the one who needs to be careful."

"Why's that?" I asked.

She gave me a little nudge, "The emperor is going to come after you once he finds out you've escaped."

"Hm, that's true I guess," I sighed, "But I doubt Pasty will come himself. So in that case I have nothing to worry about."

"Why do say that?" She frowned.

"Rain has an agenda of his own. He won't go out his way chasing me down if it won't benefit him." I said.

_And besides, _I thought, _if he does come here, I'll just kick his ass. Some of my strength has returned and also my endurance, plus my magic. _

Again I pooled the pink essence to the tips of my fingers and breathed a sigh of relief inside when they glowed faithfully. I was secretly afraid it would be gone, and that this would only last so long. But so far...

"Have you heard anything about Ermac and Noob?" Sonya asked.

I looked up from where I'd been staring at my black moccasins and blinked. We were a good distance into the village by now. I hadn't noticed until I saw the hut that belonged to my little friend. I wanted to believe he was doing alright.

"Mileena?" Sonya asked.

"Huh?" I spoke.

"Ermac and Noob?" She prompted.

Oh yeah. "Um, they're plotting to spring their attack in Vaeternus in just a few days. I'll need to be there when it happens."

The last part I only added quietly because the sight of someone else caught me off guard. That someone was leading a small platoon of warriors through the empty village confidently. My little friend wasn't among them but the cop and Sonya' C.O. were following behind. All stopped when their leader approached me.

"For such a small woman," He started, "You're quite resilient. I surely thought you to be dead and yet. Here you are."

"Good to see you, too." I greeted cheekily.

He was the same prickish Tvari I knew before. His hair, dirty-blonde and long, was restrained somewhat by two strands behind his head and his good eye shimmered not with contempt but with something else, something harder to read. He stared down at me silently for the longest time. It was a bit unnerving. I rubbed my arm, looked over myself to see if I had something wrong with me.

"Eye problem?" I asked with my hands at my hips.

He narrowed his lone ruby eye and then shook his head, muttering something like 'wench' and 'insolent'. After that he turned on his heel to walk past me. He was strong and sure of himself, but not overly so like someone I knew, and it was proven in his steady gait and silent command over the men who trailed behind him. When they were gone, the cop and the C.O. came towards us.

"Is Liu Kang back?" The cop asked of Sonya.

She nodded, "He should be at the mountains with Nightwolf."

"How is he?" Jax asked.

"Horrible." Sonya replied candidly. "He's not conscious."

Stryker scratched under his hat, "Yeah, but. Nightwolf can heal him, right?"

"That's what we're hoping." Sonya stated.

"He'll pull on through," Jax predicted optimistically.

I wasn't so sure but I kept my dismal opinion to myself. Some more words were exchanged but I wasn't paying attention. I wanted to see Nightwolf. I knew that the two men were heading to the mountains, and from the looks of it so was Sonya. But first she spoke to me again.

"Since everyone's back in one place, there's probably going to be a meeting later on today or tomorrow. You should come." she suggested.

"I don't think so." I said, my polite way of declining.

"I know you're not with the alliance, but still. It would be good for you to contribute information to the others." she stated.

I shrugged, "I don't know."

She sighed. "Mileena don't you see what I'm getting at?"

I shook my head.

Sonya cracked a smile, "It's not about the information. That's not why I want you to come."

"But you said..." I frowned.

"Forget what I said," She told me, "The point is. You should work with the others and build a relationship with them, some allies would be good for you."

I definitely didn't like the sound of that. I didn't want to have anything to do with these people. Sonya was an exception; no, she was _the _exception. I wasn't willing to make more allies. It didn't need to happen. I didn't really need their help.

"I know you, Mileena." She said.

"Do you?" I challenged.

She backtracked, "I know you _somewhat_. I know that you're fiercely independent and that you don't like other people around not because you don't want the added baggage or because they'll slow you down, but because they're an emotional liability."

I waited for her to explain.

"There's a lot of trust involved in even an ally relationship, and you have issues with that. But I don't think you should let it stop you from trying to involve yourself with us. I don't know for certain, but I'm pretty sure none of these people will hurt you."

I looked away and worried my bottom lip.

"And if they do," she said while walking backwards, "Well, you can handle them. So. Are you going to come to the meeting?"

I faced her and nodded. It was a hesitant nod but still a nod.

"Good," She sort of smiled, "I'll see you later then."

"Yeah." I called after her.

Now I was alone.

It was no surprise that, after having meandered aimlessly for a few minutes, I ended up at Nightwolf's hut. It wasn't my intention but my heart was trying to tell me something. I wanted to be with him again. But since I couldn't, I'd just have to wait for him.

I stepped over the threshold and past the front door, shutting it behind me. The house was quiet. Peaceful. Home-y. It was what I'd missed while living with Rain for the short time that I did. Being in the lair required I have my guard up constantly. Not here.

Everything was as I'd left it. That was comforting. The walk from the den to the bedroom was a silent one, punctuated only by the padding of my feet or the occasional sniff because apparently I was emotional now. I didn't realize that there were tears in my eyes. I just let them fall. There was nobody to see anyway.

I crossed the straw partition and set the satchel on the dresser. It behooved me at that moment to take a bath: so inspired my journey then to the bathroom. On the way I discarded my moccasins by the pallet and in the hall I reached in the closet and grabbed a towel. With it I entered the bathroom. I didn't bother closing the door.

I put the towel down near the sink and sat on the edge of the tub. Both the faucets I pulled and watched the clear water rush out. I stopped up the bottom and in no time the tub was filled to the rim almost. That's when I stood and pulled my shirt over my head. I shimmied out of my shorts and placed my weapons on the sink, atop the towel.

When I got into the tub the water swallowed me up to my chin warmly. As per usual, the tip of my hair got wet but it was okay. The whole feeling of the silky watery blanket embracing me was just too good to care about that. I really did miss being in a tub instead of a lake or river to bathe. And a part of me was hoping that by the time I finished Nightwolf would be back.

He wasn't.

An hour and a half later I finally gave up hope and got out of the tub. It was with downcast eyes and slumped shoulders that I wrapped the towel around me and walked back to the bedroom. I dug through the drawers for something to wear. All of the clothes that I'd altered were accounted for. And so was that awful black gown, the one with the high, stiff collar and itchy cap sleeves. I pulled a pair of shorts and a black shirt out and found a pair of the small undergarments I got from the healer in there too. I wondered vaguely if it bothered Nightwolf seeing all the clothes in here that now might as well be mine.

Once I was dressed, I went over to the pallet and curled up. It was late afternoon now. Still sunshine-y but not as much as earlier. I looked from the window down into my lap. I told myself I'd wait for him. He was probably still healing Liu Kang or doing some other important thing. But it was hard just sitting around doing nothing until he arrived.

_Slam! _

That was the front door; it made me jump out my skin almost. I leapt from the bed and stood by the partition. It couldn't be Nightwolf, the person's steps were quick and light. So who was it? They were coming towards the room. I backed away from the straw and soon the person swept the same partition hastily aside and stood before me.

"Mileena?" was their incredulous inquiry.

I, too, was surprised. "Elan?"

He wasted no time closing in on me and squeezing me in a tight hug. He pulled back and grinned at me.

"When did you get here?" he asked.

I shrugged, "Not too long ago."

He nodded and walked over to the dresser, collecting things and putting them in a bag over his shoulder. Among the items were a small knife, a container of some liquid, and a blanket.

"What's that for?" I asked.

He seemed to be finished gathering things. "The Chief sent me to fetch some things for him, he's healing someone. I have to return to the mountains and deliver this to him."

"I'll go with you," I volunteered.

I wouldn't interrupt, I'd just wait for him there at the mountains. It beat being in the house all by myself. Plus I'd get to speak with Elan. He looked different than when I last saw him. Maybe it was the way he held himself? No there was the same light air to his carriage like last time. We got outside and I still observed him.

"How have you been?" he asked me.

"Alright." I answered, "You?"

He said, "I have been well. I, um." he smiled and looked down at his feet.

He had grown to match my height, the boy was quite tall. And he was still built slimly but was toned very well. Even with his defined physique, his shy smile and dark, pretty eyes belied his youth. I nudged him playfully and allowed a smile to show through.

"What is it?" I asked him.

He said proudly, "I um. I got a promotion."

I rose both brows, "Really? To what?"

"Guard duty at the Western Edge." he told me.

Now that he said that, I did notice that he was dressed differently. The slim brown boots weren't like his other ones, nor were the brown pants and cloth, criss-crossing strips bound around his elbows and wrists. Across his tawny chest there was a strap, worn and leathery. It held a quiver of arrows. There was also a bow hooked onto it. At his waist were two daggers and a small cylinder filled with slender darts. I frowned. I didn't know why this disturbed me. One thing I couldn't get out of my head was that...he was only fifteen. He was only fifteen years old. If Tvari put him on the front lines he could die and he hadn't even seen most of life yet.

I gazed over at Elan and saw that he seemed quite content with what he'd just told me. This was what he wanted. He did want to be a warrior, he wanted so badly to prove himself and this was definitely one way to do that. I knew better than to think I could protect him, I could barely protect myself when it came down to it, but I wanted to protect him so bad.

_He's a big boy, he can handle it. If not, he'll die, _the voice inputted.

I scowled. That was certainly one way to think of it. But in a way it was right. This was Elan's choice, he was fifteen, yes, but he was old enough to know what he was getting into.

"Are you okay?" Elan asked me. "You look upset."

I nodded, "Yeah I'm fine."

He gazed at me sideways and swiped his thumb under my eye. Elan's next look was meaningful, it showed me that he knew I had been crying earlier. Being the type of person he was, though he didn't remark upon it. But I could tell he was worried.

"I'm fine," I felt it prudent to reiterate.

Already we'd passed through the village, past the dense forest, and were coming upon the mountains. It was a quiet trip. I just couldn't stop watching Elan, the way he moved and blinked and chewed on a reed he'd plucked from somewhere along the way. I didn't want to think about what it would be like to lose him. That was a harsh ideation that even I wasn't ready for.

"Are you going to leave again?" Elan asked after a while.

I wouldn't lie to him, "Yeah."

"To get your revenge?" he guessed.

I didn't remember telling him about that, but I wasn't surprised he knew. I shrugged my shoulders in response and Elan said no more. At last we reached the base of the great mountain and began our ascent up its steep, rocky path. After so far, I stopped and took a seat against the jagged wall. Elan gazed down at me.

"You go, I'll wait until Nightwolf finishes." I stated.

Elan said, "I'll wait with you, just let me give this to the Chief."

"Kay." I told him, then watched him bound off ahead of me.

* * *

In his bones, in his muscles, in his mind, his whole body and even his soul he was drained. All day he'd been back and forth between the village, its borders, and the mountains. He'd carried food and water to his people and reassured his warriors. He'd met with the elders and communed with the spirits. And when the thunder god had arrived with the catatonic Liu Kang he'd asked no questions before setting to work on him. His day had been a long one, and now that the sun was in its descent, his tasks were nearly done. He had never felt more exhausted, though.

It wasn't any one of the things he'd done today that had him feeling this way, nor was their conjunction what wore him out. It was merely the fact that his heart was grieving and weighing him down. It made doing anything, even the simplest things, so much harder. He had to work around his pain, though, because people were depending on him. It wasn't easy but he managed.

He sat against the wall of a dimly lit cave with his patient in front of him. Liu Kang lay on his back atop a blanket, sleeping soundly. Across from them was a small crowd that consisted of Jade, Kung Lao, Princess Kitana, Sonya, Jax, and Stryker. They had acted as audience to the entire healing procedure. And it wasn't a difficult one.

Once Nightwolf realized that the monk had indeed been poisoned, he was able to rid Liu's body of the substance and work on cleansing his bloodstream. It would seem the vile concoction attacked Liu's red blood cells first; its molecules bonded with the hemoglobin within each cell and prevented the flow of oxygen. That accounted for his difficulty in breathing and of course his eventual unconsciousness. Also, Nightwolf detected the tell-tale signs of dehydration and slight starvation. All that could be remedied with sleep, food, water, and time.

The chief rose to his feet, as did the others. He maneuvered past Liu Kang and addressed them; their worried faces implored him to relate the status of their friend's health. Nightwolf wanted to set them at ease.

"He will be fine. Just let him rest for now." He advised.

Sonya asked, "When he's better we'll hold a meeting, is that alright with you?"

Nightwolf nodded. "That sounds fine."

Kitana and Kung Lao both gave their extreme thanks and Nightwolf assured them that it was really no trouble. He could hardly stand by and let the monk die, after all. But now that he was finished, he decided to steal a few hours of rest himself.

"If you have need of me, I'll be in my hut." Nightwolf told them all in parting.

* * *

Elan had to leave me; he had to return to his post before Tvari noticed his absence. I didn't stop him though I wished he could've stayed, mainly because I knew how much of a prick the General could be. So on the path I sat with my legs hanging from the edge while people soldiers milled about to and from the caves, bringing water and food to the people in need. I don't know what it was, I could just sense that something was up behind me and stood, wiped my shorts off, and turned around. Lo and behold there was the Chief.

He had apparently emerged from one of the caves and was standing there, staring at me. I smiled and strode towards him. He embraced me before I even got to him, pulled me by the arms into his own. He kissed the top of my head and I shut my eyes.

"When did you get here, love?" he murmured.

I pulled back and gazed up at him, "Same time as Liu Kang. Didn't they tell you?"

Nightwolf shook his head slowly. He gave me a cursory examination before pecking the bridge of my nose, then the tops of my cheeks. Again he brought me near his heart and I wrapped my arms around him. He bent a little and swept me up bridal style and I rested my head in the crook of his neck.

"I'm glad to see you're alright, but why have you been crying?" he asked softly.

"How did you know?" I whispered.

He dipped his head, "Your eyes, love."

"I missed you," I admitted.

He smiled gently, "I've missed you as well."

And he kissed me, on the lips this time. His chaste oral ministrations almost made me cry again. I really did miss Nightwolf, even more than I thought. I missed being with him, I missed his kisses and his touches. I most of all missed his love. He was probably the only one who loved me and it hurt to be apart.

"Do you want something to eat?" Nightwolf asked.

I nodded against him and he began to move. His strides brought us down the mountainside in only a couple of minutes. Several times he stopped and shared a word with someone but for the most part our sojourn to his home was brief. When we got there, he pushed open the door and set me down in the kitchen where I then took up a spot in my favorite chair. Already he was at the grill preparing a meal.

It occurred to me then that Nightwolf was always taking care of me, doing things to show his love. I wanted to do the same for him. I wanted to show him that I loved him as well. He had written me letters, gave me flowers, made me dinner, and spoke beautiful words to me all the time and I hadn't done much of anything. I didn't have a pen or paper, so a letter would be difficult for me to procure. And I had no idea how to cook: I might end up setting the kitchen on fire if I tried to fool around behind the grill. As for sweet words and flowers, I guess that would work but it really wasn't my thing.

In endless loops I trailed my index finger upon the wood in the chair, in the space created by the gap in between my legs. Boredly I stared down at my knees and sighed. The sound was soft, but somehow Nightwolf heard it.

"What's the matter, love?" he asked from the sink.

He was finished cooking the meat and was now putting it on a plate for me. He also had a cup in his hand.

"Nothing's the matter," I muttered.

Nightwolf set the water and meat down in front of me and then tilted my head up by his two fingers under my chin.

"You can tell me," he murmured.

I blinked and gazed away, then back into his eyes. He moved his fingers up my cheek and stroked the side of my face. I shut my eyes and breathed a calming sigh.

"I just," I started, "I wanted to. You do all kinds of things for me and I just wanted to. I was thinking that I could do something to you, I mean _for_ you, because I just."

Nightwolf stilled my lips with a kiss. He, too, sighed, and I thought that maybe I upset or disappointed him. I worried the inside corner of my mouth and watched him study me.

"Mileena, love, being here with me is all that I'll ever ask of you." he told me.

As he stepped back all I could say was, "Oh. Okay."

Tiredly he sat adjacent to me and I noticed he didn't fix any food for himself. Chowing down had been what I'd started first, so I had to swallow my food before addressing him.

"Why aren't you eating?" I asked.

Nightwolf slouched completely over in his chair so that his upper body hunched over the table. He made a tent with his arms with his elbows perched on the wood and his chin nested in his hands.

"I've already eaten." He told me.

There was another lapse of quiet. Nightwolf leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms. I looked up from my food and saw him do so, then went back to eating.

"You still have the satchel, I've noticed." He stated.

I nodded and swallowed. "Yeah. Thank you for that by the way."

"It was no trouble." He said, "Would you like some more to eat?"

I was finished and did indeed want more. I slide my plate over to him and he stood with it. Nightwolf came back over to the table with another round in seconds and after he set it down in front of me he left the kitchen. Down the hall he went, and was back with a comb in hand. He stood behind me and it was apparent what he intended to do. Still I shivered when his fingers grazed a few locks of my hair.

"Did the sorcerer hurt you?" Nightwolf spoke lowly.

I picked at my food and said, "No."

"What about the demigod? Did he hurt you?" Nightwolf asked severely.

I shook my head a bit, "Not really."

Nightwolf stopped in his work, "What did he do?"

I shrugged, "Nothing. He's just a dick."

With an eventual sigh Nightwolf continued in his task of working through the tangles in my hair. He sectioned off my black, damp tresses and began to gently tug the comb through them. I pulled my legs up into the chair and folded them, then wrung my fingers in my lap.

"I wish you'd expand your vocabulary beyond vulgarities, love." Nightwolf murmured.

I rolled my eyes, "Well there's no other word for him."

Nightwolf hummed disapprovingly beyond me and I huffed. That stuck up bastard was the last thing I wanted to talk about now that I was finally at home with Nightwolf. And speaking of whom, he looked awfully worn out. While he pulled the strands of hair from the comb I saw creases in the corners of his eyes from where he was straining to keep them from shutting.

"How come you're so tired?" I solicited. "Haven't you been sleeping?"

"How could I?" He whispered.

I felt at fault, even though he bent down to kiss my cheek. When he tucked the comb away in the pocket at his hip I stood and led him out of the kitchen, down the hall, and into our bedroom. Once there Nightwolf stepped out of his boots and ambled over to the pallet. He stretched out on his stomach and I laid down beside him. I wasn't very tired, but I wanted to be near him.

Out of habit maybe he rolled onto his side and brought me close to his body. I rested him hands atop his at my waist and pulled the covers up under my chin. This was what I had missed most of all.

* * *

For about an hour Kitana had cradled the head of her beloved in her lap, she had his pale face cupped in between both her hands. She knew that what Nightwolf said about Liu was true, he was just resting now, he wasn't going to die. The tears in her eyes had long since dried upon hearing the news but she couldn't get the image of Liu's unconscious form out of her mind no matter how much she stared upon him breathing smoothly. He was so precious to her, she realized. Moreso than she actually thought. When she tried to envision a life without him, panic had taken hold of her. She couldn't fathom how this one mortal man had come to mean so much to her in such a short amount of time. Short for her, seeing as she had lived for centuries and had not felt so strongly for a man in all her life. Had she have lost Liu, she had no doubt she would grieve. But she would recover, it was in her nature, she had that strength about her, but for now she was just glad that all was well.

Painstakingly gently so as not to wake him she bent over and placed a soft kiss on Liu Kang's healthy, cherry colored lips. Her efforts were in vain because when she pulled back, he was beginning to stir. She hovered over him with her long hair falling forward over her shoulders and waited. She was a little tired herself, from her trip to the palace to search for Liu and from the ordeal of almost losing him. Her suit was unscathed, but underneath it she felt sweaty and dirty.

"Kitana?" Liu spoke quietly.

His voice lacked that hoarse croak; Liu was particularly glad for he thought the soreness would be a permanent thing. He checked for certain to see if it was his Kitana and not her sister. When he was sure, he rose on his elbows and embraced her. He wrapped her in a hug and kissed her. She gripped him tightly in return.

"How are you feeling?" Kitana asked.

They both stood and Liu rolled his shoulders, "I feel. Good, actually."

He took her hands and gave them a squeeze before pulling her into his arms. He let her rest her head near his collar while he stroked her back. He wasn't sure what happened but he was glad to be alive, to be rid of the pain that was eating away at his insides and he was glad to be out of the dark, condemning caged cell he had begun to believe he'd die in.

"It's good to see you again," Liu whispered to the princess. "What happened?"

Kitana released him and swiped at her wet face, "Come. You need to eat something."

Liu nodded and took her waist. With her at his side, they exited the cave and the monk shielded his eyes from the bright light. The pair made their way down to the base of the mountains and Liu noticed that his steps were a bit wobbly. It would take a little while for him to get used to walking again.

"We're in Nightwolf's village?" He asked after recognizing the warriors milling about.

Kitana said, "Yes. He's the one who saved your life just a couple of hours ago."

Liu knew this to be true, but he also felt that thanks be paid to the small woman who broke him out of the lair. He was about to bring it up with Kitana but as they reached the base, he was tackled on his feet by strong arms.

"Liu!" his best friend exclaimed while crushing him in a hug.

Kung Lao meant well, but Liu's ribs were sensitive and his damaged body was smarting. It was Jax who laid his hand on the hat-clad Shaolin's shoulder with an amused chuckle.

"Hey man, I think you oughta' take it easy on him." the major advised.

Kung Lao pulled back and grinned sheepishly, "Yes you're right. Sorry about that, Liu."

"It's nothing," Liu assured him.

"Good to have you back," Stryker said with a small smile.

Liu nodded and looked around. "Where's Mileena?"

"She's somewhere around here," Jax stated.

"Good, I need to thank her," Liu said.

Jade tilted her head, puzzled, "Why? It was Nightwolf who healed you."

"And I am grateful for that," Liu said, "But if it weren't for Mileena there would have been nothing for him to heal. I would've rotted in that cell if she hadn't come to free me. She was trying to escape, she risked being caught and captured again to help me."

Sonya walked up to the group right then and, having overheard them, felt that Liu was absolutely right. She knew, more than the others did, how badly Mileena wanted her revenge and she knew the woman's nature. It was saying a lot for Mileena to go back and saddle herself with Liu when she could've skipped out the lair and been on her way.

"You can thank her when we get to Nightwolf's hut, that's where she is right now." Sonya told him.

At that Stryker and Jax shared a look. One that denoted their mutual understanding of the situation between the shaman and Mileena. The officer's face mirrored the major's in that they wore twin expressions of sly knowing. A similar look crossed the young Shaolin Kung Lao's features as he observed the manual union of Kitana and Liu's hands. Kung Lao went so far as to nudge his best friend as they all walked along.

"What?" Liu acknowledged him.

Kung Lao offered no words in response, just swept his eyes down at Liu and Kitana's joined hands and rose both his brows twice with a grin upon his face. Liu rolled his eyes and indulged in a smile himself. Jade, who had witnessed the entire exchange, also smiled in amusement and shook her head. It seemed that, for now, things were moving in her and her allies' favor.

* * *

It was kinda' funny when I woke up later because I couldn't remember ever falling asleep. At any case, Nightwolf was above me, crouching down over the pallet. I lay on my side and stretched. With my eyes closed I yawned and then detected noises. Slight murmurs; the sound of other people. From what it appeared, it was coming from the den. I frowned.

"They're here, aren't they?" I sighed.

Nightwolf said above me, "The rest of the alliance? Yes. They have arrived."

I groaned loudly and buried my head in the pillow. Nightwolf stroked my hair and in his tone I heard him smile.

"There is to be a meeting," He told me.

I flipped onto my back and crossed my arms. With my eyes narrowed I couldn't help but purse my lips in annoyance.

"Yeah, I know." I stated.

Nightwolf rose and stared down at me, "I must attend."

"I know that, too." I griped.

"You're coming with me," he added.

I blinked and climbed up into a sitting position, "I know that t-wait, what?"

"Why do I have to go?" I asked in a put-out sort of way.

Nightwolf walked around the room and I saw that he was dressed differently; light tan were his tight pants and brightly decorated was his pectorals from what I could tell through his open black vest. The usual wolf crest glowed under the dim rays of the setting sun outside the window.

Nightwolf turned from his dresser and came over to me. By my hands he pulled me to my feet and wrapped his arms round my waist. He smelled nice, just like how I remembered. Like fire and smoke and the spicy meat he'd cooked for me earlier.

"You must come," He said, "Because you have information that needs to be shared."

I frowned, "So I'll share it with you and then you can tell them."

Knowing the others, they'd probably take to the info better if it came from Nightwolf than me anyway. They don't really trust me. Sonya told me I should get them to, but why should I bother? Is it really worth it, building a so-called relationship with any of them?

The chief sighed and brought me close. When he dipped his head down I in turn lifted my own. He only brushed his lips past mine before hugging me tightly.

"Mileena I want you with me." He whispered honestly.

I didn't know what to say to that. It was one of the many things that he could say to leave me speechless. It wasn't exactly what he said or how he said it, it was more of what he said _and _how he said it. He was absolutely sincere, that much I could tell from his voice and his countenance. He wasn't lying. And that made me feel so wonderful knowing he truly wanted to have me by his side. Because really, I wanted to be there.

"Okay," I whispered back. "I mean I guess I'll go with you then."

Nightwolf laughed, I heard it rumbling because I had my ear against his bare chest. He slid his arm around my middle and hooked two of his fingers into the belt loops of my shorts. I placed my hand behind his back, in between his shoulders. I scraped my nails gently onto the deep red embroidering of his wolf crest that decorated the black vest he wore. It was like that how we entered the den just down the hall and I didn't expect the others to take such obvious notice of our closeness. But they did.

I followed Nightwolf to his circle of friends and took a seat next to him when he did. The man still had a hold of my waist and I wasn't the only one who observed this. The cop and the major shared private smirks and discreetly passed a piece of folded green paper from one to the other. The cop had handed it away, and looked to the side, shame-faced. The rest of the alliance were too busy giving Nightwolf and me strange looks to notice that oddity that had transpired between the two. It was kind of dark in the den, there was no light from lamps or torches or anything, just some light from the window and down the hall. The people were all gathered and all had their legs crossed or folded beneath themselves. The den was a cozy, laid back place to have the meeting I guessed, what with its soft dirt floor and plainness.

"Now that we are all accounted for," Nightwolf began, "we can begin."

It was true, what he said. The gang was all there: the thunder god, the two monks, Kitty Kat and her bodyguard, the cop, Sonya, and her C.O. Everyone was present and well. That was saying a lot, actually. I had to give them credit for all making it and sticking through this together. But it was still early, things hadn't heated up too bad yet.

"Mileena has been in the company of both Ermac and Noob, as well as the sorcerer and the demigod." Nightwolf continued. "If anyone could best inform us of their intentions, it would be her."

I bristled at that. Not only was the chief giving me the floor, but right off the bat at that. I wasn't really prepared to just divulge that information yet. I wanted a little more time. But it didn't look like I'd get it.

"Just tell them what you know," Nightwolf quietly prompted.

He didn't know that by leaning into my ear and whispering those words so huskily he had actually done the opposite of what he'd intended. Instead of setting me at ease, his voice made me shiver, his words stirred me up a little. I rubbed my arms and blinked rapidly.

"Um." I started.

_Don't you dare tell them anything, they'll betray you! _

Ah, that voice again. I paused and looked down at my lap. As if it would help, I shook my head slightly. That voice wasn't helping. Well not that it ever did. Nightwolf drummed his fingers on my hip and I focused.

"Ermac and Noob are working together to attack Pasty in Vaeternus in a few days. They plan on using their two armies against his undead one." I explained to the floor.

The bodyguard was the first to respond, "Two armies?"

I nodded, again at the floor, "They have this breed of warriors stewing in the Netherealm and they also plan on unleashing the Chaosrealm."

_The inconsiderate bastards, _I thought. Did they even realize how much trouble that would cause for everyone else?

The thunder god spoke next, saying, "I have been in contact with an old associate. I think I may have a way to resolve the issue with the Chaos warriors. Unfortunately, I won't be able to act until the actual chaos is unleashed."

I snorted, "Not very helpful, if you ask me."

The bodyguard heard me and narrowed her eyes, "No one really did."

I fixed my mouth to retort but Nightwolf shook his head at me and drummed on my waist again. I sighed and kept my comments to myself from then on.

The cop said, "At least we have a fail-safe, at any rate."

Others nodded in agreement.

"I don't know," The major started to say, "Ermac and Noob sound like they got this plan of theirs all worked out. Maybe we should just let them take out the emperor."

The cop assented with, "Yeah, save ourselves the trouble and just let this play out."

I smirked; now that's good thinking. Sonya worried the side of her lip for a moment before interjecting.

"It won't hurt to send Sektor and his Tekunin, just in case," she suggested.

Kung Lao was skeptical, "If he didn't want to help out in the village, why would he send his men to aid us in defeating Chi?"

"Well that's the thing, Sektor didn't agree to help in the village," Sonya explained, "But he gave his word in that he'd help defeat Chi. I'm gonna' hold him to it." She said determinedly.

Kung Lao shrugged at that. I felt it pertinent to tell Nightwolf about Pasty's steadfastness when it came to destroying him, though.

"Even if he is lured to Vaeternus, Pasty will probably send his minions to come after you and this village." I said to Nightwolf.

He sighed, "Yes you're right. I'll need to stay and be prepared."

Many of those gathered chimed in, saying they would stay and defend the village as well. It seemed like none was too eager to head into combat with old Paste-Face. I could see why. This was really Ermac and Noob's battle as of now. They were staging the attack, they were doing the planning and it wasn't really necessary for others to be involved. But I would go; I needed to get my revenge before Ermac or Noob ended up killing Pasty before I got the chance to.

People were standing now, moving around. The meeting was apparently over. Sonya got up and said something about checking in with Sektor and soon she was out the door. I got up and so did Nightwolf. The thunder god's voice was louder than the rest, and I picked up on the last of his sentence. He was going to Vaeternus, something about needing to be there to alert his associate as soon as things devolved into disorder.

"Take me with you," I cried urgently. I cleared my throat, "I mean, can you get me there?"

Raiden tilted his head but nodded curtly nonetheless, "I can."

I smiled a little at that. So this is the perk of having the thunder god as an ally, eh? I could get used to it. Free transportation to any place at any time? Definitely could get used to that. I let my smile drop when I saw that the monk Liu Kang was coming near me. Kitty was right behind him.

"Mileena, I have something to tell you," He said quietly.

I quirked a brow, "Eh?"

"I know we had a rough start," Liu said, "And I'm sorry for misunderstanding you. But I just want to say thank you for helping me. You didn't have to, but I'm glad you did."

He placed his hand over his fist and bowed low to me, almost 90 degrees at the waist. I felt a hot, uncomfortable blush coming on, worse than the one where he kissed me by accident in the lair. When he rose, he smiled cordially.

"Um, you're welcome." I told him awkwardly.

If that wasn't bad enough, after the monk left I was swallowed in a tight hug by my twin's slender arms. She took me by surprise but not so much so that I couldn't pry her off. I pushed her back lightly by her shoulders and frowned at the wetness in her eyes.

The princess smiled and said, "I knew there was good in you."

"You're reading too much into it," I scoffed, "I was escaping, figured I might as well get the monk out, too."

Kitana grinned beautifully and shook her head. Her laugh was short-lived. Upon sobering, she touched my shoulder. Gingerly I tolerated her touch for a short while.

"You don't have to go, you know. Jax is right," She said. "Ermac and Noob Saibot can handle Chi on their own, you should stay in the village."

"No can do, Kitty Kat. This is what I've been waiting for, this is my chance." I stated plainly.

Kitty frowned, "Then be careful."

"You're worrying again," I teased her half-heartedly.

She leaned in and nearly butted heads with me. In a whisper she said, "Well technically you're my younger sister and that _is _what sisters do; they worry. So be careful."

Her words were powerful and unexpected. She pulled back and smiled again, wearily so. Stroked my arm and gave my elbow a squeeze she did before walking off to be with her bodyguard. I didn't know what to make of her words. I didn't know how to react to that. Sister? Sister. _Sister._ It was a vague and relative word and as to its meaning I had no clue. It made me feel even more mixed up because I knew that Kitty Kat wanted possibly the same thing Sonya wanted, which was some kind of relationship. I didn't know whether or not I wanted to indulge in one with her or not. It was quite strange that I was even considering it but things have changed, things have really changed.

* * *

**A/N: That's it for now, please stay tuned. The plot is reaching its crux or its pinnacle or whatever you wanna call it. Things are drawing to a close. The big moment is almost here! You can't stop reading now, of all times! You've come thus far...**

**Speaking of coming so far, you've read this chapter, so please let me know what you think by reviewing because I love those reviews. Good, bad, and everything in between and beyond; let me know how I am doing! Thanks in advance! Until next time, **

**~DymondGold~**


	38. Caged

**I'm sorry for taking so long, but thanks for bearing with me my lovely readers! Thank you so much for supporting me through this cracked up story! **

** Enjoy :)**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing related to the Mortal Kombat franchise, be it settings, characters, themes, or the like.**

* * *

**Chapter Thirty-Eight**

* * *

It was dark outside by the time the meeting was officially over and everyone had sorted out their questions about the upcoming defense issues. Everyone was now clear on their positions and their objectives so it was time to call it a night. There was no one who didn't need a good sleep for the morning. If all went well, I'd be leaving for Vaeternus tomorrow. For now though, I'd spend my last night in the village with Nightwolf. Again. It wasn't the first time I'd be leaving him for an indeterminate amount of time, but I was hoping it'd be the last. This time I wanted to get rid of Pasty once and for all so that I could get on with my life with the Chief.

Said chief was sitting wearily on the edge of the pallet with his palms flat against his eyes. I crossed the bedroom and stepped out of my black moccasins, then sat behind him. Wrapping my legs around his I scooted flush against his back with my chin over his shoulder. I could feel the paint beneath my fingers that were resting against his chest. His chest was warm, just like the rest of his body.

"Sheeva told me you came to Kuatan." Nightwolf said after I'd gotten comfortable.

I blinked sleepily, "Yeah, I tried to get your attention but it was like you were looking straight through me. And then I passed out, I think."

Nightwolf nodded, "You approached me in the middle of the Regenesis technique."

I rose my head up off him in wonderment, "So _that's _how come I got them back."

"What?" Nightwolf asked.

"My powers," I explained, "I got my magic back, and some of my endurance and strength. But not my fangs or claws."

The man stilled and said no more. I had almost forgotten that this was a sore subject for him. He may have said it didn't bother him, the thought of me returning to my old self, but I knew better. He wasn't tensing up for nothing. While chewing on the side of my cheek I smoothed my hands over his back. I did know a little something about massaging to work the subtle kinks out of his muscles. He sighed under my ministrations.

"You know you work too hard. You're always straining yourself, trying to help everybody," I commented.

"If I am able to help, I will." Nightwolf told me.

"Why?" I asked, stopping.

The chief reached behind him and took my hands. He used his grip on them to pull me around him and into his lap. Very tiredly he stroked my arms.

"That's just the way I am, I suppose," he answered me.

I held his face and leaned forward to kiss him, "It's a good way to be."

Again Nightwolf turned away to release a yawn he just couldn't stifle. He was really worn out. I had never seen him this way before. It looked like it was hard for him just to keep his eyes open. I folded my arms and shook my head.

"You really do work too hard, Nightwolf." I said, and with that I started guiding him under the covers.

As we lay down he told me, "I haven't slept right since you left."

"Stop worrying about me, I'm fine. I'm gonna _be _fine." I chided.

I slid up beside him and lay my head down on his chest as per usual. He held me and stroked my back slowly. I was definitely tired then because I had started rambling.

"I'm gonna' be fine, you'll see. I'll go and let Ermac and Noob do all the work, and I'll get my revenge on Paste Face. Then I'll come back here and we'll be together forever." I whispered idealistically.

Nightwolf chuckled softly and kissed the top of my head. "Goodnight, _denhoze_."

* * *

Souls. They were very important in Outworld. They were also the basis of a certain spectre's theory as to the curious behavior of his cyborg. He believed that the robot still had an inkling of its soul left within it, tethered to its gears and hardware. What other reason could explain the slowness with which it followed orders lately, the way it hesitated before yielding to Scorpion's demands was strange indeed. It was as if the cyborg had not only a mind of its own, but a remnant of a soul as well. It hesitated before following orders as if it were doing them not because it was programmed to, but because it was choosing freely to do them. It was a peculiar phenomenon indeed. Scorpion didn't know how he felt about that. Also, the cyborg only answered when addressed as 'Smoke'. Scorpion knew a Smoke once, he was also of the Lin Kuei. The spectre couldn't be sure if the former ninja and the current cyborg were one and the same or not. He really didn't care either way though, there were more pressing issues. All of his Hellspawn had finally been gathered underground, armed with spears and other weapons and waiting for his call. At a moment's notice they would be ready to attack, all he had to do was open the portal. Things were in place for his coming revenge upon the sorcerer.

"Agh!" Scorpion cried as the machine clipped his bicep with its mechanical extension.

The unit and its master were sparring at the moment. Scorpion found the cyborg to be incredibly intelligent in that it could replicate the spectre's moves, such as that of the harpoon snatch. Scorpion saw the attack coming and dodged out of the way, but not before the sharp talons of the weapon grazed his flesh. In seconds the cyborg dashed across the rocky Vaeternus terrain and faked a kick that it used to make way for an uppercut. Scorpion was knocked onto his back. While rubbing his jaw he contemplated the cyborg's strength. It was as if it had decades worth of training stored up in its mainframe. The spectre rose to his elbows and rubbed his jaw. The cyborg approached its fallen master slowly.

Scorpion was interested to see if it would go in for the kill. He had given it the impression that he was bested, lying on the ground like he was. The robot seemed to be taking advantage of his vulnerability as it stalked closer and closer. Just as it approached the ninja, it stopped.

And reached its hand forward.

Scorpion blinked at first, then took it gingerly. The cyborg gripped his hand firmly and pulled him to his feet. It wasn't that Scorpion was to weak to do so, it was just that the robot's actions took him by surprise. He would've thanked the unit if he thought it would respond. The truth was, Scorpion had neglected to give it a voice; now he wish he had. He wanted to know if the cyborg could converse.

Scorpion stepped away from Smoke and brushed himself off. He was about to find some menial task for Smoke to do when the unit suddenly tensed and slipped into a defensive position. Scorpion frowned.

"That is enough training for today, Smoke." He stated in warning.

Then Scorpion sensed it. There were others around, cloaked but still detectable. The spectre saw nothing but the dusky purple haze that fogged over the sparse trees and blackened grass but he knew that something was out there. He could tell in the way his skin prickled familiarly. And then they showed themselves.

Three bright red Tekunin units unveiled themselves and surrounded the gleaming white cyborg. It would seem that they had overlooked Scorpion, and the spectre found that to be in his favor. He stepped quietly into the shadows of a cluster of stripped bushes and trees, out of sight. This was the perfect opportunity to assess Smoke properly. While he fought with the cyborg himself, he felt as if he were fighting a clone. Now he would see how Smoke did in an unpredictable fight. Because it definitely looked like the Tekunin were after a fight.

Scorpion crossed his arms and observed.

"Identify yourself." One of the crimson machines barked.

The three stood as an aggregate wall around Smoke with their heckles raised. When Smoke stood silent, tension rose.

"Identify yourself!" The other asked more loudly.

Smoke was silent once more. It wasn't as if he could speak at all, but the Tekunin didn't know that. They saw his silence as obstinate subordination, seeing as he still bore the same resemblance to one of the Lin Kuei's automated line of warriors.

As they got into an offensive stance, one said, "Then you leave us no choice but to bring you back to the Grand-Master by force."

They began to close in on Smoke yet the cyborg stood unaffected. Very slowly he turned his head to his master, in a gesture akin to asking permission. Scorpion gave Smoke a short nod. And that was all he needed to switch gears.

Like a bullet slipping through water Smoke teleported through the ground and, upon emerging, he upper-cutted one of the Tekunin in the chin and launched him several feet in the air. Leaping up himself, Smoke grabbed the robot before it could land and threw it forcefully to the ground. The machine groaned but couldn't get another sound out before its head was crushed under Smoke's two feet as he came slamming back to the earthen floor. After twisting his feet in the mess of damaged wires and broken metal, Smoke back-flipped cleanly away from the destroyed unit.

_Nice, _Scorpion thought to himself.

The remaining two robots drew their luminescent blades and charged for him. The whole atmosphere of the battle had just escalated.

Smoke stood rigid as the two opponents neared him. When they got close enough, he roundhouse-kicked one and sent it reeling away. The other he turned on his heel and rapidly harpooned. The machine tried to fight against the pull of Smoke's sharp weapon but was still dragged into a swift kick to its thoracic cavity. With that robot flying through the air and eventually hitting a tree so hard its back cracked the bark in half, the other one had time to dart in its place. Smoke was more than ready for it.

Not once but twice it swung at the slim cyborg but couldn't connect with the swifter unit. Smoke even bent backwards until his axial cables brushed the dirt ground to evade the Tekunin's slower attacks. Finally tiring of being on the defensive, Smoke twisted his body and swept his adversary's legs out from under him. Clutched one of the metal appendages Smoke did, and with his hold on the Tekunin's foot he swung the machine around in a full circle before releasing him. The Tekunin went sailing towards the same snapped tree, falling on top of the other robot who was trying to right himself from his earlier blow. Smoke didn't give either of them a chance to do so. With calmness he stalked over to the pair and crouched down. Gripping both their heads by the back of their necks he slammed them both together with lethal force and watched the lights dim from their ocular units.

_Very nice, _Scorpion mused, _He's swift and deadly. _

Now that the spectre had seen the Tekunin he realized even more strange things about the cyborg he'd resurrected. Smoke didn't carry himself like a robot at all. The way he dusted off his hands and sauntered over to Scorpion was not very robot-like at all. Although the cyborg only came up to his master's neck and was a bit on the slim side, Scorpion knew that the creature possessed a strength unknown. Smoke had exhibited just a minuscule example of his power and the spectre could tell that he must have been an incredible assassin in his former life, before he was resurrected.

Both cyborg and spectre turned at that moment and saw another machine launching through the matrix of space and time, one that landed with a heavy thud and immediately began to survey the metallic carnage Smoke had created. It was one that Scorpion knew and loathed. It was the new Grand Master, Sektor.

"What is this?!" Sektor exclaimed.

He turned around to see the full extent of his ninja's brutal demise. Then his green-lit eyes settled upon Scorpion and a new fire blazed within him.

"What have you done to my men?!" he demanded.

Scorpion, if he could, would have rolled his blazing white eyes at the easily angered Grand Master. Regimes fell daily in the name of the Lin Kuei, this shouldn't have been a trifling matter, in his opinion. Still, Scorpion felt it best to answer the leader.

"I've not touched your men," Scorpion stated.

Sektor roared, "Don't _toy _with me! Why, if you have not touched them, do they yet lay here dead?"

Scorpion was about to reply but once Sektor laid eyes on Smoke, he got not the chance.

"How _dare _you!" Sektor shouted with his fists clenched at his sides.

"What are you raving about?" Scorpion spoke lowly.

Sektor began to shake with anger, "It _would_ be Shirai Ryu trash to steal from the Lin Kuei, as always."

In an even tone Scorpion said, "I have stolen nothing from that doomed clan."

"I believe I'd recognize my own model, even if it has been severely downgraded." Sektor sneered.

He raised both hands and Scorpion bristled, readying himself for a coming attack. But as it was, Sektor wasn't attacking, he had summoned more of his Tekunin from the ground. Eight to ten of them, by the looks of it.

"Apprehend this rogue unit and take him back to headquarters to be reprogrammed," Sektor ordered his men.

Now Scorpion decided to intervene. All the Tekunin against Smoke was hardly a fair fight. Just as he began laying into a couple of the robots Sektor impeded him.

"You'll be punished for taking what rightfully belongs to the Lin Kuei." the Grand Master threatened.

Scorpion narrowed his eyes, "We'll see about that."

The spectre took Sektor by surprise by teleporting all the way around him. The Grand Master didn't know what had happened until Scorpion shoved him around and started kicking him in the face, more than five times in turn. After he was upper-cutted Sektor tried to teleport and do the same to Scorpion but the ninja anticipated the move and tripped the leader. Unfortunately, Sektor was quick in getting to his feet and then reclining his upper body to launch a homing missile. The projectile shot out from Sektor's body and made his entire frame rattle and shake. Scorpion couldn't dodge it and the metal exploded as it knocked the hellion in the back.

A few meters away Scorpion stopped rolling along the ground and was able to leap back to his feet. At the same time Sektor had recuperated as well. In the middle of his stride towards the spectre Sektor stopped, seemingly shocked.

"Impossible!" He cried.

All around him he saw what he neglected to while fighting with Scorpion. Over the short time that had elapsed, every single one of the Tekunin lay dead. Twisted, broken, and dismembered mechanical bodies littered the barren landscape of the dead fields of Vaeternus. Among the carnage standing no more than 5 feet tall was Smoke. There was not a scratch on him. His coat was as flawless and lily-white as ever.

While the Grand Master was flabbergasted Scorpion punched him right where his jaw would be and proceeded to curb stomp him into the dirt. Upon hearing the crunch of either bone or hardware, Scorpion flipped off and stood back away from the groaning cybertron. Smoke approached the leader and rose his fist but Scorpion gripped the cyborg's wrist.

"No." Was all he told him.

Smoke lowered his arm and stood rigid next to the spectre. Sektor, who wasn't aware of his sudden brush with a most certain death had his enemy not intervened, growled to himself.

"This isn't over!" He shouted before disappearing.

Scorpion shook his head. He could bet he'd see him again before the week was out; he'd be ready.

* * *

I swear if I hadn't gotten my Edenian essence back I would be dead by now; that horrible flash of lightening and clap of thunder right outside Nightwolf's bedroom was enough to do my poor human heart in. Luckily, I wasn't human anymore. Still, did the thunder god really find it necessary to make such an entrance? It was a wonder Nightwolf was still asleep.

"Can I help you?" I grumbled.

Raiden had this look on his face that let me know he was hardly fazed by my early morning attitude. Wait, it wasn't even morning yet; outside the window the sky was pitch black. I rubbed my eyes and sat up, away from the chief. Raiden looked at me and then at Nightwolf. He looked like he wanted to say something about us but didn't.

"The time has come for me to depart to Vaeternus. Do you still wish to accompany me there?" he asked quietly.

I nodded, "Yeah. Just gimme a second to get up."

He nodded in turn and clasped one hand over the other at his waist patiently. With a groan I threw the blanket off of me and stood. I was careful not to disturb Nightwolf. Except for giving him a kiss on the cheek. After that I straightened my clothes, settled my hair, grabbed my sai's under the pallet, and slipped into my shoes.

"Why are we leaving so late at night?" I asked Raiden.

He said, "Even though it is late here, in Vaeternus it is already morning."

I followed him out of the bedroom. Raiden had to duck his head as he crossed under the straw partition and I sighed. It was starting to bother me, leaving the village again. Before I didn't mind, but now that I was actually doing it again I didn't want to. I wouldn't back out though. This was my chance. This was what I'd been waiting for.

As we exited the hut Raiden took my shoulder and teleported us. The realm of Vaeternus lay before me. I don't know. It was. Darker than thought it would be. Maybe because the god told me it would be morning here I was expecting a little more light but the sky was a hazy violet color not at all what pictured.

"I thought you said it was morning here," I remarked.

Raiden said, "This _is _morning. As far as they go in Vaeternus."

I shrugged, "Fair enough. Well, thanks and all for bringing me here. I'll just be on my way now."

Raiden inclined his head, "Very well."

I left him. There wasn't much to see in this land. It was almost as bad as Edenia, the only difference being that Edenia was once a place of beauty. Vaeternus was always kinda shitty, or so I've heard. The color of the crumbled grass, the brittle branches of the few bushes, and the skinny, distorted black trees were all black. Rocks and boulders were everywhere. It was eerie here. Not a soul in sight, either. Only sound I could hear was the creepy wind. And it was freezing. I wish I had thought to bring a jacket or something. Another thing I should've thought to do was tell Raiden to alert me when Pasty arrived. As it was, I had no way of knowing when he would come or where he'd be.

I shivered.

_Speak of the pale devil and he shall appear, _I thought to myself. There was a portal opening behind me and I knew just who it was. Warily I turned round and back up real slow. Sure enough that Pasty bastard came sauntering through looking all shocked and whatnot.

"You escaped from the lair?" He mused.

I smirked, "Obviously."

"You are here," He stated, "And yet..."

Pasty raised his fist to close the portal and looked down at his waist while fondling his amulet. He frowned and then gazed back at me interestingly.

"...Rain is at the lair still." he finished.

I snorted, "I doubt it. He's probably here, too."

"Your lies won't fool me, Mileena." Pasty claimed, "I know for a fact where Rain is because of an amulet he wears. It contains the essence of the original, my own."

He started walking towards me but by then I'd put a good distance in between the two of us. His eyes weren't trained on me, they were wandering elsewhere. I didn't know why he was jabbering on when he could have just captured me and been done with it.

"As long as I have the original, I can detect the spawn amulet." Pasty continued.

I rolled my eyes, "I _told _him it was a tracking device."

"Rain has failed me for the last time," Pasty stated, "He should not have let you escape. For this...he'll lose his life."

I smirked once more. It's a shame I have to kill old Paste Face. I would've liked to see Rain weasel his way out of this latest punishment. It actually looked like the sorcerer was serious about killing him. But I had to do what I had to do. Now that the pale sorcerer was distracted with his lackey's inadequacy, I snuck in a cheap shot: I dove forward on a handspring and landed a foot in front of him. Once there, I punched him hard in the jaw.

Pasty held his mouth while I backed away. I had a bit of an ego at the moment, and maybe I'd regret it later but I chose to stay and fight. I had a niggling feeling that I should maybe try and stay on the safe side, which was as far away from Pasty as I could get. I should just wait until Ermac and Noob launch their attack and then spring on him while he's vulnerable. But I didn't.

Damn my pride.

No, damn that proud prince for rubbing off on me. Either way, I was staying, and I was fighting. Whether I'd come out victorious or not was the real question. _If worse comes to worse, _I thought, _I'll just run away. I can teleport now. I think._

"Don't make me hurt you," Pasty told me, "I have plans for you. It would be against them to have to kill you."

I made a face and ran towards him.

He sighed and said, "I'll not go easy on you."

That made me clench my fists and run harder. Along the way something occurred to me; he obviously didn't know I had my powers back. I mean, it didn't look like I was healed seeing as Edenians don't look too different from regular mortals. The poor bastard probably thought I was still a measly human. That's why he was being so condescending. I smirked. He was in for a rude awakening in just a few seconds then.

It was like getting a piece of myself back when I used my magic to help me sink through the ground and come shooting down towards Pasty. My sai's were out and extended but it was my feet that landed a blow to his chest. He stumbled backwards and I landed in a graceful crouch. Instinct willed me to channel the magic through my sai's and shoot him directly in the face. He dodged unfortunately, with his ruby eyes widened.

"Impossible!" He breathed.

Then a dark veil overshadowed his entire countenance. He had gotten serious and I had no warning other than his sudden disappearance. In the next instance I was pinned to a tree with his body against mine. I had no clue how he'd managed to move that fast. It had to be the amulet helping him or Kahn's dark magic or maybe both. He had definitely gotten stronger from the last time I fought him, which was actually the same day he struck me with his curse. Even then he wasn't fighting me, Rain was. I didn't know how powerful he had gotten until now, until too late obviously now that he was crushing me against a fucking tree.

"Get off me!" I told him while struggling.

For no reason apparently; it wasn't doing me any good. Pasty had a solid grip on my forearms, one that would most likely leave bruises. Plus there was the matter of him forcing his weight against me.

"How did you do that?" He ground out.

I frowned, "What?"

"That attack. How did you do it?" He enunciated.

I smirked, "I just kinda aimed and then I shot. Ow!"

He had dropped his hands to my wrists and squeezed them painfully before jerking them above my head. As if this weren't uncomfortable enough. The bark from the tree was already chafing the backs of my hands and the pointy branches and rough edges of the trunk were digging into my back.

"Tell me now," Pasty ordered in a low voice.

I grit my teeth against the pain and narrowed my eyes. I wasn't about to stand her and let him bully me into anything. Even if fighting him was a bad idea and I should've trusted my first mind and I shouldn't have made that last joke, I still wasn't backing down.

"No." I said resolutely.

Pasty scowled and tightened his hold. From this angle I could see just how worn he really was. His eyes had that natural darkness to them but they looked extra heavy now. And his cheeks were a bit sallower than usual. I shifted on both my feet, they were barely touching the ground, and shook my head so those stray hairs wouldn't be in my face.

"You look like shit," I assessed. "What are you, stressed? You must know your miserable life's about to end." I taunted.

"It was the shaman, wasn't it?" He ignored me, "He healed you, didn't he?"

"Do I _look _healed to you?" I retorted.

"I'll not ask you again, Mileena." He warned. "How did you regain your magic?"

I twisted violently but still couldn't get him to loosen his grip. I didn't do well with people holding me like this. It was aggravating me.

"Wouldn't you like to fucking know?" I hissed irritatedly.

I think that was the last straw for him. He dropped my hands at last but he charmed the wood so that it wrapped as a coil in place of his cold hands. He stepped back and scowled hideously while muttering something under his breath. It was after the pain hit that I realized it was a spell he was chanting.

I don't know how to describe it other than saying I'd never felt anything so torturous ever before. It was like a bunch of knives had been suddenly lodged into my body. The startling shock of that wore off when those invisible blades tore through my skin and gouged out chunks of flesh. It wasn't nearly as bad as the burning behind my screwed-shut eyelids. The intense, scalding heat felt as if it were frying my eyeballs. Something sticky and thick and wet slid down my cheeks; it was probably blood. There was blood everywhere. The binds on the tree were the only things keeping me from collapsing onto the ground and curling up into a little ball. Even so, I was standing but not standing straight. My back was arching away from the bark because of the lacerations littering the skin there. It was like there were whips switching all over my spine and across my shoulders. My feet, they were so icy cold it hurt. So freezing cold it burned. In my haste I kicked off my black shoes but it did no good, the strange sweltering cold was still there.

Through the entire ordeal I screamed. I didn't want to but it was agony. The torture was multifaceted and drove me to the brink of something unknown. I couldn't think at all, I was just reacting. With screaming. With sobbing. With spasmodic shrieks and bodily jerks.

"Let that be a warning to you, Mileena." Pasty spoke monotonously.

The pain began to ebb as he spoke. That pain faded away, and in its place was a numbness I welcomed. It was bliss compared to those last few seconds. I couldn't feel my limbs or even feel myself breathe but that was okay.

"After all is said and done," Pasty continued, "You will be at my mercy. Should you choose to cooperate, you will be spared worse tortures that you've endured just now."

Was I breathing? I couldn't tell. My head was swimming. Everything was dark and numb. It felt like I was floating. Then something snapped and I fell onto my face. I could feel that. I could feel the dirt on my lips and the brambles cutting into my cheek. Now my head throbbed. It was still dark.

Noises swelled around me but none of them registered. I heard the voice of my enemy and the sounds of, sounds of, sounds I couldn't really identify. Didn't bother trying to identify. There was also footsteps moving around me. Then those stopped, along with all the other noises. It was still dark. For a very long time I lay there. Or maybe it wasn't a long time. It felt like eons had passed before the numbness left me. The feeling of floating subsided as well. Then I just felt tired.

* * *

I found myself lying on my side on cool, blackened grass. My eyes stung a bit, itched a lot. I rose up to a sitting position and tucked my legs under my knees. For a while I rubbed the crustiness out of my eyes and wriggled the tingles out of my nose. My nose only tingled from having been stopped up, now it was apparently clearing. But my nose only got stopped up when I cried. I touched my cheeks. They were wet. I _had _been crying. But why? Why was I...?

Ah. Yes. The torture. Upon remembering the taste of Hell the dark sorcerer had administered so cruelly to me I shivered. No, I trembled. Every bone and muscle inside me quaked, even my bottom lip quivered so bad that I had to bite down on the inside of it to keep the appendage still. I had never been through anything like that before. It was horrid. No worse. I didn't have a word for it. Through all the battles and punishments I could remember getting hurt from, this had to be the most unusual and most miserable. If I had known Pasty had that attack in his arsenal, maybe I wouldn't have. I mean I would've certainly thought twice before coming at him like I did.

"I should've just ran when I h-had the chance." I whispered.

Talking above such a tone sort of hurt. My throat felt raw and inflamed. It could've been the screaming that caused that. It was true, I shouldn't have engaged the sorcerer, but since I did I had to deal with the consequences of my actions. There were plenty of them.

For one, there was the issue of my body. It must look horrible. I stretched out my arms and legs and looked them over. There was nothing. The festering sores, the lacerations, and the blisters that I'd thought be there...weren't. My skin was just as clear and smooth and unmarred as it was before the spell was inflicted on me. I slid my hands under my shirt and found that there were no cuts under there, either. None on my stomach or on my back. My body didn't hurt anymore, not on the outside. Inside I was steadily trembling, that had yet to stop.

"What the hell," I whispered.

It was a curious thing. I knew that what had happened was real, the pain was anything but imagined, so why weren't there any remnants of its effects? It was downright scary. But I wouldn't let it get to me. I wouldn't let any of it get to me. Pasty was trying to fuck with my head again. He was almost succeeding. But what he didn't know was that this was more impetus for me to defy him and ultimately kill him. Like he said, the torture could and would get worse if he has his way, so it was absolutely imperative that I not let him win.

"Stupid bastard," I groused, "If he thinks I'll just lay here and accept defeat."

I suppose it was a fear tactic, that awful spell. He probably wanted me to loathe it so much that I'd submit to him. Gods know I didn't want to endure it but I would, if I had to. I would face anything he threw my way so long as it didn't kill me before I did him.

The torture's aftershock wasn't the only consequence of my earlier actions, I soon found. It would seem that the pasty sorcerer's done it again; there was a cage around me. Because there was no floor of the metallic contraption, I hadn't noticed it right off the bat. But looking furiously ahead proved somewhat difficult when there were tall bars in the way. Through those bars was the purple, hazy sky and naked woods. But that wasn't the only thing I saw, the landscape. There were people surrounding the cage about five feet in every direction. But they weren't people. They were too grungy and inhuman. Their backs were to me but their bodies emitted a constant green glow. They were obviously members of Pasty's army, feeding off the energy of stolen souls. They each had a spear of a weapon in hand and vigilantly stood with it across their chests. They must've been my guards.

So let's see what my little decision cost me; stuck in a cage with no idea of the time and, consequently, no idea of how long it'd be before Ermac and Noob staged their attack. The sky looked exactly the same and the weather hadn't changed either so I didn't know how long I'd been asleep. Or unconscious. Or whatever I was after the spell had worn off. The point is, I've already lost time and that's not good. Hopefully if I could just get out of here and get past the guards, I'd be able to track somebody down.

"Okay. No problem." I said softly. "I got out of this thing once, so..."

On my knees I crawled across the dirt and gripped a bar in each hand. Thankfully my magic rushed faithfully to my fingertips and encased the surrounding poles of metal. The magic glowed brightly but had no effect whatsoever on the cage.

"Damn, I should have known," I hissed.

I underestimated him. Pasty saw me use my powers, he obviously improved the cage so that it wouldn't be susceptible to them. I didn't give up, though. For the next half hour I hacked away at those bars with my sai's, I pulled at them with all my might, I kicked at them and rammed my shoulder against it. My efforts, they granted me nothing save for a hurt ankle. I didn't know if I'd broken it or sprained it but it hurt. Terribly I might add. The only thing that distracted me from the pain was the tinny beeping I kept hearing all of a sudden. It took me a moment to realize it was the watch on my wrist making that noise. It was a wonder I still had that watch.

To its glassy face I looked and saw that there was motion depicted upon its screen. A red arrowhead was moving closer to a stationary blue one. I figured the blue one was supposed to be me, my location. That meant something was coming towards me. What could it be? Or who? Ermac and Noob, I hoped.

It was neither.

Along with a shiny white robot Scorpion came striding through the wooded area. He was making a bee-line in a direction parallel to where I was. If I hadn't have called out to him, he wouldn't have even noticed the cage or the guards in his haste. When I said his name he stopped in place.

Hurriedly I scooted up against the front of the cage and knelt in front of it. The spectre didn't leave, which was good.

"Scorpion, you have to help me." I told him hoarsely.

My voice didn't carry far, it was still ragged and hurt when I raised it too high. Somehow he still heard me, though, because he responded to my plea.

"Do I really?" he said quietly.

With the robot in tow he strode towards the cage. Now, for the first time since they've been at their post, the undead guards began to move. They shifted and pointed their weapons at the approaching ninja. Scorpion lifted his hands disarmingly but still they stood at the ready.

"You have to get me out of here." I whispered as loudly as I could. "Please, I can't do it on my own."

Scorpion knelt beside the cage and asked, "Did the emperor do this to you?"

"Yes." I answered bitterly.

"Was the demigod with him?" He then inquired.

"No, but he's probably already here." I replied.

Scorpion nodded thoughtfully and stood, then walked off. His robot stood while he kept walking past the guards, back on his intended route. I frowned disbelievingly.

"Where are you going?" I cried, "I thought you were on my side."

Only after I've said the words do I realize how stupid they sound, and how stupid I was to have ever believed them. Scorpion stopped and sighed.

"I'm not on your side, I was never on anyone's side." he called over his shoulder.

I blinked frustratedly, "But you helped me before, why can't you just do it now? We're fighting for the same thing."

Scorpion then turned and told me, "It served my purpose. That's why I enabled you before."

"Served what purpose?" I frowned.

"The purpose of distracting the sorcerer long enough for me to ready my defenses." He answered.

Flatly I surmised, "So you used me."

"It's nothing personal. I do favor you." He admitted, "In fact, I'll help you. But not now."

"Why not?" I huffed.

"You said it yourself, Mileena, we're fighting for the same thing. Revenge. Only one of us can have it. I won't let anyone or anything get in the way of slaying Chi and avenging my clan. Not even you." He said quietly.

I felt hurt and again, incredibly stupid. I shouldn't have trusted him. But I didn't really do it, I didn't actively place my trust in him. I knew there was something up with him. He couldn't have been helping me just for the hell of it. There had to have been a catch, and now it's caught me. I had no one but myself to blame. But it's not just the fact that the spectre is walking away without helping me, walking slowly at that. On top of being stuck here, I'll have the very thing I want most ripped away from me. Scorpion was going to take _my _revenge.

_Only one of us can have it. _

It was true, there weren't two Pasties. There was only one. Both of us wanted his head and only one of us could have it. Scorpion thought he'd be the one it came down to but I'll show him. I'm getting out of this cage, and I'm. I'm gonna.

"Who am I even kidding." I sulked.

I threw myself against the back bars of the cage and brought my knees up to my chest. Scorpion still wasn't out of sight yet, and his robot was still standing stock-still next to the cage.

Bitterly I called out to him, "Just wait til I get out of here, you _jerk_."

Then I called him a bunch of nasty names and strained my voice screaming at his back. I was just so angry and the spikes of bitterness had built up higher and higher until it came out now. Between the sorcerer and this new betrayal, I was far from in control of what came out of my mouth. He ignored me and kept walking. Only once did he stop. I thought he would respond to my jeering but he only stopped to call out to the robot.

"Smoke." he said sternly.

The robot, I just noticed, had been staring down at me. It didn't have eyes for me to pinpoint the exact object of his interest, but his head was down in my direction. Now, upon his master's request, he turned his head to face the ninja. Scorpion jerked his head in a sharp, forward motion and proceeded to keep walking. After hesitating and looking over his shoulder at me, the robot-Smoke- did the same. They moved much more quickly this time. I was glad to be rid of them, since they weren't gonna help me anyway.

* * *

Not much was to be done on Ermac and Noob's end but wait. And that they did, for hours on two thrones set up in an old Vaeternus courtyard. From their raised positions, they could see a great expanse of the rest of the land. The stone columns had long since been destroyed and parts of the courtyard itself had crumbled and eroded, leaving a patchwork of grayed stone and clumpy earth to show for. For hours they'd sat with each other as poor company and with no activity to elicit their interest. The host was still in a sore mood about Noob's relationship with Scorpion and was not entertained by the wraith's few attempts at light conversation.

Now their waiting had come to an end.

With a chuckle Noob said, "He's early."

Ermac scowled, "No matter."

As one they jumped from the raised dais and landed onto the flat, cracked courtyard below. Noob sauntered confidently whilst Ermac strode tersely by his side. They approached the tall figure who'd only just arrived at the area via near-seamless teleportation.

As they got closer to each other, Ermac felt their dim mood begin to lift if only a bit. Noob couldn't suppress a cheeky grin.

"Emperor," He greeted, sweeping into a bow.

"Drop the pretense and give me your worst." Chi spat in turn, not to be fooled.

Noob's grin nearly split his face as he rose from the mocking show of loyalty. He stepped back and chuckled once more.

"Well, you asked for it."

Ermac and Noob exchanged a curt nod before they advanced. Ermac rolled their neck and let his partner do the goading.

"Your time's come to an end," Noob declared, "You're finished."

Chi was steadily moving back from the pair but not out of fear.

"Am I?" He retorted.

As the ground began to shiver and the sorcerer began to mutter, the pair stopped. They were prepared for what was to come but neither of them would rush into this. The emperor's army came tearing through the ground as the earth rippled fluidly and gave way to Chi's magic. Scores of the undead surrounded Ermac and Noob while Chi stepped back a good distance to watch the conflict play out.

"Just play along," Ermac told their partner.

Noob laughed genuinely then. And for a while he did.

The thing about Chi's undead army was that, although they were a bit formidable, they hardly lasted. That was why there were so many of them. But not enough. However, the wraith soon tired of toying with the witless army.

"Now?" He implored of Ermac.

Ermac was doing the same as Noob; playing around mostly. They were sure to keep near the wraith and although the courtyard had gotten loud with cries of battle, they could hear him perfectly well.

"No. Not yet." Ermac stated calmly.

Through sinewy limbs and rotting flesh the pair plowed their way through. It was a refreshing outlet for their violent creativity to be expressed as they tore through their enemies but the whole thing was beginning to bore Noob. Again he was about to ask if his partner was ready to commence with the next stage of their ploy when something occurred to him.

A random soldier, one whose arms and legs had been ripped from his body, was piecing himself back together. And he wasn't the only one. Noob frowned as he regarded this disturbing trend amongst Chi's army.

"So that's the real secret, huh?" Noob murmured.

He would've remarked upon this to Ermac had something else not have caught his eyes. This sight was more amiably observed. Noob elbowed his partner and jovially pointed in the direction he'd been staring.

"Look who joined the party," He grinned.

Ermac wasn't as congenial towards the newcomer as Noob was. They sneered and made their way over to him. Towards Scorpion.

The yellow-clad ninja was enveloped by a slew of soldiers and was busy kicking one of them in the face when another latched onto his back. That alone twisted Ermac's sneer into a spiteful smirk. But his amusement was short-lived as the spectre threw the soldier off his back and retreated a few steps. Ermac purposefully walked toward him, shoving undead soldiers out of his way. Then Scorpion lifted his hands and brought forth the fires of Hell from the stone and Earth ground below. Ermac had to leap into the air and hover above the roasting screaming soldiers to avoid the blaze.

The real fire shone in their luminous green eyes as the folded their arms across their chest. It was then that Scorpion noticed and acknowledged the host.

"**Already you're gettin' in the goddamn way!" **Ermac sneered.

Scorpions own white eyes clouded as he shot a fireball at the host, who managed to dodge the blast with ease. It wasn't meant to hit Ermac, just distract him for the split second it took for Scorpion to get away from him.

With his arms extended, Scorpion opened a portal in air several meters above the courtyard ground. From it the Hellspawn descended, much to Ermac's aggravation.

Noob sidled up to his partner and again inquired, "Now?"

Ermac narrowed their eyes and replied, **"Send out the first round." **

Noob stepped away from the fray once more and opened a portal of his own, one that served as a gateway to the Netherealm. Out of the black abyss sprang hundreds of zombies in similar appearance to Chi's, minus the odd green glow about the sorcerer's. As soon as Ermac and Noob's creations hit the ground they charged towards Chi's armies.

And were slaughtered.

As the masses of them were ripped apart by the sorcerer's armed warriors, Noob sucked in a breath.

"Hm. That doesn't look good." He remarked.

Ermac was irate, **"Didn't you say that these filthy fucking creatures were on par with the sorcerer's army?!" **

"Well they would've fared better if they had actual weapons," Noob noted. Under his breath he added, "Or if Chi's army would die already."

A nasty laughter rang through the courtyard. It was coming from the emperor himself. He stood near the thrones with his fists at his hips, laughing delightedly.

"You can't defeat me, Ermac." he claimed.

He tried to do another spell but at that moment several things happened. One of them was that Scorpion's attention was drawn to the location of the sorcerer and he began to start for him. Another was that Ermac's expression darkened to the point where Noob was grateful his partner wore his hooded outfit and not any other. The last of the events being the most important, it happened to the emperor. In the middle of his incantation, a red blur surged from the ground and knocked him in the jaw. It was Sektor.

The Grand Master had truly been aiming to upper-cut Scorpion, not Chi, and that's who he headed for. At the same time Scorpion had been once again engaged by Chi's relentless soldiers. However, they were replaced by forces of the same menace, the dreaded Tekunin.

Scorpion was livid.

"FOOLS! Get out of my way!" Scorpion roared.

He had his fists aflame as he plowed through the forces of the Lin Kuei. He had almost made it past the incapable robotic soldiers when the Grand Master himself impeded him.

Meanwhile, Noob took the initiative to further incur his partner's wrath.

"Ermac, we've got more company." he said in reference to Sektor.

**"Don't you think we _see_ him," **Ermac replied acerbically, "It doesn't matter. He looks like he's only after that damn spectre anyway."

At that same moment the host was shot in the back with an errant missile. That had to have been the last straw for them. They turned round with an unholy growl and ripped someone cleanly in half with their bare hands.

Noob, who had witnessed the feral display, sighed. "Yeah...that was one of our men."

Ermac was beyond caring at that moment. Scorpion darted past them, shoving into the host on his way. He didn't get far before he was upper-cutted again by Sektor, then slammed headfirst onto the ground. Ermac was shaking with rage.

Noob tentatively touched their shoulder, "Now?"

"**No!" **Ermac roared.

Several people, Tekunin and Chi's men and even Ermac and Noob's men alike, were hoisted up unceremoniously into the air and slammed back down onto the unforgiving earth. Nearly all of them broke their necks. Noob had to leap back to avoid the carnage.

Chi was only making more soldiers by reviving the dead ones. Noob suddenly got an idea. He would've consulted his partner first, but Ermac frankly looked to be in no mood to talk. So instead, Noob merely warned the host.

"Ermac, get back." Noob told him.

**"What?!" **Ermac snarled.

He was in a filthy rage so Noob took the liberty of yanking him by the back of his robes. Noob was in no mood to be murdered so upon releasing the host he retreated a good distance away from them. Then he opened a well-placed portal under the feet of several hundred of Chi's men. The undead fell unwittingly through and the portal closed shortly after.

Ermac saw the logic in Noob's actions and refrained from doing him harm. With a frown they turned to the wraith.

"Where does that portal lead?" They asked.

"No clue." Noob answered honestly, "But they're not here so they're someone else's problem now."

Ermac shrugged. For once, their mood seemed to have improved. At least something was going their way.

* * *

**A/N: That's it. The first part of the resolution. I'll have the next chapter out as soon as I can, so keep reading and if you have a minute leave a review and tell me if this was good or if it was pure fail or something in between those two :3**

**We'll be checking in with the good guys in the next chapter, see what misfortune befalls them next. Plus, Mileena in a cage; can things get any worse? Yes, they can. so until then...**

**~DymondGold~**


	39. Propositioned

**Another chapter out, the next will be a little later bc I have finals in the morning. Thanks for all my constant reviewers, you lift me up and I appreciate your insightful feedback! **

**I'm glad you all are liking what I'm writing but sadly, this is almost over...the eight-month project is almost over...don't know how I feel about that, lol. Anyway, Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: None of the themes/characters/settings belong to me, it's all Netherealm Studios' property along with Ed Boon and his friends ****John Tobias and John Vogel.**

* * *

**Chapter Thirty-Nine**

* * *

"Where did these things _come _from?"

Kung Lao had asked the question that was on everyone's minds.

"No clue," Jade answered, "But they're here so we've got to deal with them."

Not far behind her Kitana guessed, "Maybe Chi sent them to destroy the village."

"Then it's a good thing there's nobody around," Jax remarked.

The major was speaking in reference to the villagers, of course; otherwise, his statement would prove to be a lie. For there were hundreds of sickly-looking undead soldiers. They had come out of nowhere. It was a lucky thing that the members of the alliance were already gathered in the square to catch the brunt of the attacks. It had taken them all by surprise, and after the few words they'd exchanged just then they ceased to speak. They could not afford to.

Jax brought his heavy arms down onto his enemies to bring them to their knees. Once there, he had no qualms about knocking their heads so hard to the side they snapped their necks. Even after such brutality, the creatures would twist their necks about so that their heads faced forward and then they'd fight once more. It was frustrating the major indefinitely.

Stryker, although armed with a standard issue handgun and nightstick, was having similar poor luck. He'd shoot them, and they'd yet pick themselves up and walk once more. Stryker was getting just as aggravated as his comrades by the warriors' resilience, if not more so. As he bludgeoned one of the soldiers with his baton, he voiced his frustration.

"Why won't these things die already?" the officer cried exasperatedly.

As a warning to his allies, he shouted, "Get back," but to the throng of undead warriors he said bitterly, "_Eat this!" _

The blast wasn't so devastating as to kill the entire slew of warriors but it did take out the ones that it managed to hit. Unfortunately, a fire was created in the aftermath. Everyone noticed but was too busy with their own struggles to do anything about the small blaze. Jade and Kitana, with their staff and fan blades respectively, fought nearest to each other. It was arduous. The princess found that as soon as she sliced through one or two enemies, there came another to take its place. At this rate, the alliance would be overtaken by exhaustion.

"What the-" Jax grunted as he was ambushed.

Multiple soldiers jumped onto his person and began to gnaw on his flesh. Violently the major thrashed and tried to fling them off of him but the one biting on his shoulder was persistent. Jax gnashed his teeth and brought his fist down hard into the ground. The earth rippled and the surrounding soldiers flew out of the way. They were down but most likely would rise again.

Jade huffed next to the major, "Could you warn us next time you do that?"

She didn't mean to be so short with him but she was getting quite fed up. The Edenian gripped the skirts of her cloak in one hand and set her feet a good width apart. With her staff she took aim, then launched the pole with a mighty thrust. In one go alone she managed to impale five or six of the creepy soldiers. Her smile was brief.

Stryker called out, "Hey lady, that thing almost took my head off!"

"_My apologies_," Jade replied tersely.

Stryker just shook his head and rose from his crouch, the position he'd taken up to avoid being caught by the flying staff. He turned on his heel and jammed his taser into one of the soldiers' jaw, then knocked another across the head with his nightstick.

Liu Kang had spoken not a word as he combated the undead. With his famed flying kick he knocked one of the soldier's head clean off. The princess had only a second to see that the head was already reconnecting with its body before she was drawn back into her own battle. Her arms moved like windmills as she cut into her opponent. She gave a shout as she threw her fans and lodged it in an undead's head. Teleporting quickly, she appeared behind the same one and kicked them in the back so that they went hurtling into a crowd of its kind.

The chief's voice was heard right before the tawny-skinned man was seen bowing on one knee as he ushered forth a bright blue light from the heavens down onto a good chunk of the undead population. Fortunately this technique left no remains of the pale sorcerer's soldiers behind. The soldiers were completely obliterated when the glow of the light vanished. Nightwolf had only just stood up when the ground began to rumble slightly.

Sheeva and Goro had arrived.

The rest of the Shokan were at their posts around the village borders. Kintaro fought vigilantly at the mountains along with the rest of Nightwolf's men. Upon hearing a shrill scream, the Tigrar's sensitive ears rang and he directed himself in the direction of the sound. There, at the base of the mountains where the bulk of the fighting was occurring, was a little child. The hubbub in the caves from various members of Nightwolf's village was centered on the distress of the little boy, for he was cornered by two of the undead warriors.

Kintaro gave a savage cry and propelled himself forward. He didn't take into account his motives for doing such. Perhaps it was because the little boy was the same who he had encountered previously and as such Kintaro did not desire to see harm come to him. But that was not likely, not for one of the late Shao Kahn's most bloodthirsty assets. So whatever it was that compelled him Kintaro embraced it and ran headlong for the boy. He clubbed evil soldiers out of his way and when he did get to the boy's assailants, mighty spears were poised over their heads in preparation for a fatal attack. Kintaro seized them both by their heads and slammed them together, effectively bashing out the maggot-infested remains of their brains.

With those two disposed of, Kintaro approached the child and scooped him up by one of his legs. Upside down and incredibly frightened, the child began to shriek and cry. Kintaro dropped the boy into the arms of one of Nightwolf's warriors, who carried the boy to his relatives. The rest of the village warriors worked on getting the excited crowd back into the caves where they'd be safe.

The amount of undead soldiers was greatly dwindling, but their destruction had taken a toll on the village. In the square, the members of the alliance surveyed each other after noticing the calm that was beginning to settle. The battle was coming to an end. They were prevailing without any casualties so far and now there was a lapse in the conflict, a fleeting respite. Kung Lao breathed heavily but smiled at his best friend. Their sentiment was shared; everybody was safe and okay. For now at least. That was something not to be taken for granted.

"What's up with the sky?" Stryker asked.

His inquiry brought everyone's attention to the strangeness of said body of space and air then. There were dark swirls in place of the fluffy, cumulus clouds that were once there before. The backdrop to the ominous swirls was not the clear blueness they were used to; instead there was a mix of reds and purples and dark browns all blended into one foreboding shade.

"I've seen something like this before," Kung Lao stated, "It's not good at all."

The very last of the soldiers were reduced to ash as the thunder god made his entrance. Raiden's attack rid the village of those horrid undead but the alliance members couldn't help but feel a bit of dread upon seeing Raiden back so soon.

"Lord Raiden, can you explain this anomaly?" Nightwolf asked in reference to the sky.

Raiden hovered over to the group solemnly and said, "The borders between the realms are becoming frayed, from excessive portal use perhaps."

"Have Ermac and Noob Saibot unleashed the Chaosrealm yet?" Nightwolf asked him.

Raiden answered with, "Not yet."

"Well I for one am in rush for that kind of devastation, not at all; but what are Ermac and Noob waiting for?" Kung Lao wondered aloud.

"I have no idea," Raiden imparted, "Chi has already engaged them so they had ample opportunity to retaliate."

In a quieter voice, one laden with emotion, Nightwolf asked, "And what of my lo- Mileena?"

Raiden noticed his slip of tongue but made no remark upon it. "She insisted on parting ways upon our arrival at Vaeternus. Since then I have yet to see her."

The chief sighed. "...That sounds like her, alright."

* * *

Every now and then the ground would rumble and shake. Whatever was going on, it had to involve Pasty, Ermac, and Noob. Oh and fucking Scorpion, too. Can't forget about him. I should've been the one down there, taking what's mine. Fighting for my revenge. But no, I made one stupid choice and now I was stuck in a cage for the whole battle. And on top of that my ankle was broken. Or sprained or something. I rolled it experimentally; as time passed so awfully slowly, it was getting a little better. I leaned my cheek on the bars sulkily and sighed.

Then I heard a familiar sound, the sound of water rushing. I knew what it meant. Oh damn, with all that's happened, now this? It wasn't fair. I wished so badly that I could turn invisible but unfortunately that was never in my skill set. All I could do was push myself in the corner of the cage furthest away from the sound of the water and crush my knees up to my chest. I hoped that the newest arrival wouldn't see me, I hoped he'd just pass me by like Scorpion.

He didn't.

As soon as the water-wielder made his grand, whirl-windy entrance his dark eyes alighted on the cage, making him halt. He immediately saw me, I know he did; the grin told all. He began sauntering over in that over-confident manner of his. Ignoring the guards, who in turn ignored him, he crouched down to my height and stared at me through the bars.

"Say one word and I'll fry your cocky ass so bad all the water in the world won't be able to cool you off," I threatened him.

He frowned and stood, then backed up. "What did you do with my amulet?"

"What are you talking about?" I snapped agitatedly.

"You know damn well what I'm talking about," he claimed, "Did you steal it like you stole my dagger?"

He checked his person as if to confirm that said dagger was still with him. I rolled my eyes at his buffoonery. Still, I decided to mess with my old partner.

"Course I didn't steal it," I said, then sweetly added, "Maybe you just misplaced it."

"No!" He cried, "I tore that room apart and couldn't find it!"

"Did you check under the bed?" I countered.

At that he looked over to the side and let his shoulders lower incrementally. His silence told me that he hadn't. I sighed. I figured that under the bed was the one place he wouldn't check. He surely did not disappoint. It would seem not much had changed about him the last time we were together. He was still that infuriatingly beautiful royal with an attitude fouler than the blackest plague and an ego that soared to high heaven. His hair, long and coal-colored, was pulled up into a silky top-knot save for a thick lock on each side of his face. Those bangs hung against his cheeks and curved under his chin. His thin dark brows were animated, along with the rest of his features, in an expression of sudden bemusement.

"So even with those powers of yours," he started, "you still managed to get yourself caught. Pathetic. How _did _you get your powers back, by the way?"

I scoffed, "I'm not telling you."

"Hn. They've obviously done you no good." he said haughtily.

"Don't you have somewhere to be?" I grumbled.

"No, not particularly." he answered languidly.

There he was, picking at his nails again with his head tilted to the side slightly and his eyes hooded disinterestedly. Same old Rain.

"Why don't you get lost already?" I griped.

He smirked, "So anxious to get rid of me? I figured you might enjoy my company."

"What in the hell gave you that idea?" I frowned in confusion. "I've been trying to get _away _from you since..."

I stopped. Something occurred to me then, and I smirked. I pushed my knees down and crawled up to the very front of the cage.

"So that's why you won't go down there." I stated with a solid smirk. "Ermac's gonna kick your ass once he sees you and you know it."

"That's not why!" Rain immediately denied with his eyes narrowed and his gloved fists at his sides.

I grinned, "Oh it isn't?"

"Of course not!" Rain seethed.

I shrugged, "Then prove me wrong. Be a man and go down there."

"I don't have to prove myself to you!" Rain cried indignantly.

"Whatever," I remarked, then added in quiet challenge, "Pussy."

Hm, he was so easy to mess with. Not even five minutes he's been down here and already he was shouting and losing his cool. He looked as if he really would've liked to mangle me. As if he'd get that chance.

Rain scowled and stalked over to me. Then he closed his eyes and like magic he cleared his face of the ugly anger marring his features. His lashes gave way and when he opened his eyes again he was incredibly calm.

"Call me what you want, wench." he said unaffectedly, "_I'm_ the one who's free to go wherever I please. You're just jealous because you went and got yourself caught in a cage and can't go anywhere."

"Shut up," I muttered.

Rain smirked, "Don't worry, I'll come back for you once I get that amulet from the sorcerer. But only if you promise to be a good little pet and do as I say."

As he walked off, , laughing, I shook my head at him. He acts like he's so much better than me but it's not true. His prissy ass wouldn't have lasted against Pasty's new curse either, I bet. Before he could get too far away I called his name. Predictably he stopped.

"Pussy," I taunted.

And just like that the anger and righteous rage was written all over his face again. He stooped to the ground and picked up a rock, a sizable one, and threw it at me. It missed my head by at least a meter. He turned his back and walked once more but I picked up my sai's from my hips and shot a blast of energy at him. Unlike the prince I didn't have such lousy aim and when the pink magic caught him in between his shoulder blades he hissed.

I saw his furious expression right before he drenched me with a freezing, weighty bucket-load of water.

* * *

Ermac and Noob, for quite some time, had withdrawn from the frenetic battle and sat lounged upon the two twin thrones they'd occupied earlier. Below them, the courtyard played host to the frenzy that they so languorously watched. Well, Ermac's gaze was more passive than their eager partner. Noob's amusement exuded from his robed body in waves, waves that were only slightly beginning to permeate Ermac's previously irate exterior.

"It's hard to tell who's fighting who down there," Noob stated.

Ermac's lips curved upwards but they did not speak.

"Chi's losing stamina." Noob also remarked.

At this news Ermac chuckled to himself. This pleased them quite a bit. Noob didn't mind his partner's silence and decided to talk enough for the both of them. He winced but smiled as an undead was pierced through the stomach and eyes by long, tendrils of fire before it combusted from the intense heat forced inside of it.

He nudged his partner saying, "I'm assuming it's time now?"

Ermac stood from their seat and gave Noob a nod. They both took their time climbing down from the dais and striding towards a particularly secluded area behind the two raised chairs. It was there that they banded together and worked to create a portal powerful enough to support the transportation of the ruthless force to come. With their efforts came a crack of electric thunder, then thousands of warriors came shooting down, killing indiscriminately as soon as their feet hit the ground, some even before then.

They were merciless.

Havik was the last to emerge. The disfigured cleric shook hands with Ermac and Noob, his eyes were shining gloriously and with anticipatory delight.

"You have free reign." Ermac told him.

Havik's smile split his lips grotesquely, "Excellent."

After looking down upon the anarchy ahead of him, the cleric launched himself into the midst of it with both his hands brandishing weapons. Now that he was gone, Ermac shook their head disgustedly.

**"Maniac,**" They muttered.

"He's always been that way," Noob said.

There was a clap of thunder and several streaks of lightening lit up the hazy sky. Noob sighed dismally because he had a feeling this meant trouble. His mood was somewhat soured as he and Ermac walked back to the dais and reclaimed their seats on the throne. As they sat, the wraith sighed.

"Is that who I think it is?" he asked rhetorically.

"Has to be," Ermac replied anyway.

They waited unfazed as the thunder god approached the two of them. The lord Raiden had his mouth set in a deep, disapproving frown when he neared them and it only made Noob's head start to ache. He didn't want to have to deal with the oh-so-wholesome Raiden at the moment but fate had left him no choice. It wasn't as if he could kill the elder god and be done with him; no, that would only incur more problems, more headaches.

"You'll have to pay for this senseless act of violence." Raiden scolded.

Noob rolled his eyes, "Are you talking to me or him?"

"Both of you," Raiden said sternly. "Both you and Ermac will answer to the elder gods for your crime."

Ermac spread one of their legs over the arm of the throne, "What are you talking about?"

"You unleashed the Chaosrealm warriors." Raiden accused.

"How do you know it was us?" Noob drawled. "The Chaosrealmers are a tricky lot. They strike wherever they may, pretty much at random you know."

"You've been planning to unleash them for days in advance," Raiden spoke in a slightly short tone.

Noob quirked a brow, "Again, how can you say that? Did you see us go around arranging for this to happen? Where's your proof, thunder god?"

Raiden felt his blood rush at being mocked but he kept calm. "The trusted word of a few witnesses is all the proof I need."

"Really? I suppose that's well and good for you, but it's hard to build a case based upon hearsay." Noob tutted.

Under their breath Ermac murmured darkly, "Or if the witnesses are all dead."

"What was that?" Raiden frowned.

"We had nothing to do with this." Ermac said more loudly.

Noob nodded, "Yes, yes; what he said. Now could you please move? You're blocking the view."

Raiden glared hard at them and adjusted his hat before making his way down the dais. He couldn't say in all honesty that his brief chat with the malevolent pair hadn't left him just a bit hot under the collar. He didn't appreciate being disrespected but what Noob said was true. No, not the part about them having nothing to do with the Chaosrealm being here. That was a flat out lie and the three of them all knew it. But the wraith had a point when he said that Raiden wouldn't be able to make a case unless he got some more solid proof. That he could not do at the moment; there were bigger things to worry about than indicting the wraith and the host. First he had to find a way to deal with the rampant murderers down in the courtyard before it was too late.

* * *

If I had just had the sense to leave bad enough alone, my ankle would've been healed by now. But no, I had to go and mess things up. I wanted to see if I could heal it with my magic. Ordinarily I wouldn't try it, but I had Rain's visit still fresh in my mind and figured that if he could do it, then why couldn't I? Instead of healing it I ended up burning the flesh there badly. It was a dumb idea but then, I seemed to be acting on a lot of those today.

I didn't dwell on it though. Quietly I sat in my cell, massaging the pain away and shivering every now and again.

Suddenly there was a snap. A cracking sound coupled with a heavy thud. I looked up in surprise and fascination at the fallen body. One of the guards lay motionless on the ground, his neck twisted all the way behind him, just above his shoulder blade. As the dull green soul tugged out of his pallid body and the glassiness returned to his black eyes I shivered. I didn't have time to ponder the strangeness of the instantaneous phenomenon because the same thing happened to another guard. And another. When there was just one left, I heard it: there were footsteps leading up to the eventual cracking of the guard's neck. It may have looked like they were just spontaneously dropping dead, but that couldn't have been the case. There was someone here.

That robot.

It was the machine that was with Scorpion earlier, the magnificent white one. It must've been behind the murders for sure. Its appearance rippled in and out of existence before the invisibility finally wore off. Among the ruined bodies the slim unit stood waiting. For what I didn't know. Could it be that Scorpion's changed his mind and sent his robot to help me? That's what it looked like.

It approached me swiftly, it swaggered when it walked, a lot like Rain actually. When it got to the cage it ripped the top of it off its hinges and threw the metal aside. Talk about brute strength. I gazed up at the machine as it lowered its mechanical hand down at me. Hesitantly I took hold of it and stepped out of my cell. But I didn't get far.

I took a total of four laborious steps before collapsing onto the ground. The robot stopped. It seemed like my ankle wasn't as healed as I would've liked it to be. I couldn't even go on. This wasn't good. I fought to stand and had to suck in a sharp breath of air at the shooting pain my efforts garnered. The robot advanced towards me and bent down over my body.

"What, are you gonna carry me?" I asked.

It didn't answer me, but it did lean over and scooped me into its solid arms. I let it. Even wrapped my own around its neck for good measure. At an even pace it started to walk and I was curious as to where we were going.

"Are you taking me to the battle?" I asked it in a clear voice.

The robot looked down at me and nodded fluidly. Then it began to run. My grip around its neck tightened and I squeezed my eyes shut. The wind whipped and roared all around me. It chilled me to the bone since I was already soaking wet from when Rain drenched me. Soon the robot stopped sprinting and set me down gently in the dirt. I could hear the near-deafening sounds of battle just up ahead.

"Thank you," I told the robot after opening my eyes.

The robot had its head down towards me and for the longest while it just stared at me. I hope all the water on me didn't crash its system or cause a short or anything. But no, after a minute it turned its head away and sauntered off. That was definitely not the stiff, pole-up-the-ass walk of a standard issue automated robot ninja.

I stood and dusted myself off. I was behind the courtyard, there were two big throne chairs just in front of me. Stony and large like the torn down columns those two thrones were. I winced as standing became a chore. A seat on one of those thrones was actually starting to seem like an appealing idea, if only for a couple of minutes. I shivered again and rubbed at my arms. My steps were careful and I favored my sore ankle greatly as I walked around the other side of those thrones. I was surprised to see they were already occupied.

Ermac and Noob sat lazily next to each other but when they saw me they both sat up. I shifted from foot to foot in order to remain standing. The pain was seriously no joke but I wasn't about to ask the wraith or the host to give up their seat anytime soon.

Noob rose a brow, "Where have you been?"

"Don't ask," I retorted.

"Why are you wet?" Noob inquired.

"Don't ask that either," I frowned.

The wraith shrugged and leaned back into his seat.

I turned around and stepped back from the cacophonous battle raging in front of me. There was a lot happening and I couldn't tell who was fighting who. I saw a bunch of undead, and some of Scorpion's hellish clan, and...was that the Tekunin? Well Sonya did say they would be here. But there was no Pasty, nowhere that I could see.

"What's going on out there?" I asked, crossing my arms and rubbing away the goosebumps.

Noob answered me, "You know I'm not really sure."

"Where's Pasty?" I asked him.

He shrugged, "Your guess is as good as mine."

"You don't know where he is?" I frowned.

"Kinda lost track of him." Noob admitted, "He'll turn up later."

I shook my head. "Unbelievable."

I turned my attention to the crowded courtyard and tried to pick Pasty out myself. I wanted to know where he was, even if I couldn't attack him at the moment. I was having no luck. The Chaosrealmers were moving so fast and so crazily that I couldn't keep track of anything and if I stared too long my eyes hurt.

**"Mileena**.**" **

I jumped at Ermac's voice, their rougher voice had called my name. I turned round and saw them holding their hand out to me. I gazed at it and their face in turn, very confused. They beckoned to me and with reluctance I reached out and took their hand. Ermac pulled me up the dais and straight into his lap, well onto their knee.

It was weird, sitting on Ermac like this. What made it weirder was that the host had their legs wide open and their arm round my waist. It was nice to be sitting down, but I couldn't help but shift anxiously. Ermac held me still and leaned forward.

"We know you want to finish Chi off," they told me, "We can make that happen."

"What?" I asked.

Ermac kept their voices low and said, "We can help you attain your revenge against Chi."

"But Scorpion." I said.

Ermac knocked his knuckles under my chin softly, "We'll take care of him."

Again I shifted. "I don't. I can do this on my own."

Ermac telepathically lifted my ankle pointedly, "Can you?"

I didn't trust Ermac or Noob. They were better than Rain, true, but they were still untrustworthy. I wasn't about to let the host rope me into anything suspicious.

"What's the catch?" I asked them warily.

Ermac was probably smirking under that hood. All I could see was those entrancing green, pupil-less eyes. They bore into me before their owner answered my question. Not verbally though. Ermac dug into the folds of their cloak and pulled out a little talisman, one I recognized from Pasty's lair. Ermac took my wrist and opened my hand, placed the talisman into my palm and gently closed my fingers over it.

"All you must do for us," Ermac instructed, "is give this to Rain; put it around his neck."

I frowned, "How am I supposed to do that? Rain and I aren't really buddy-buddy anymore. I mean, not that we ever were."

"He was your partner for a while. You must know some of his weaknesses." Ermac said.

I scoffed, "Unless you've got a mirror on hand, or maybe some cheap jewelry I don't think this is gonna work."

**"Make it work," **Ermac rumbled, "Get creative, dazzle him if you must, just get the damn thing around his neck."

I tensed. Ermac was losing their temper. "When do I have to do this?"

"After you kill Chi," Ermac stated more calmly.

"Why can't you just use it on Pasty?" I asked.

Noob chimed in with, "You can't use a sorcerer's charms against him."

"Why not?" I questioned.

"He'll know. And it won't work," Ermac informed me, "Besides, Chi is done for. It won't be necessary to waste this on him."

I couldn't see Pasty so I couldn't call him on that to see if the sorcerer was indeed spent or not. But Ermac really didn't like Rain. That was a gross understatement in and of itself. They absolutely loathed the prince, that much I knew by now. So if there was a way to destroy him, Ermac would take pleasure in doing it on their own. But they needed me to do this, to set Rain up. It was self-explanatory, why Ermac couldn't get the talisman on Rain himself. Rain was no fool. Ermac had him so scared the little bitch wouldn't even come down here so it'd be nearly impossible for Ermac to get the thing around the prince's neck. So Ermac needed me. And plus, Ermac said I didn't have to fulfill my end of this bargain until after I killed Pasty. That seemed pretty win-win to me. All I had to do was set Rain up and I'd have my revenge. It seemed too good to be true.

But I shook on it with Ermac anyway.

From burning my ankle to challenging Pasty; I'd made some pretty stupid choices earlier today. Hopefully this wasn't another of them.

* * *

**A/N: As the time for Mileena's revenge to be enacted draws nearer, she seems to be getting riskier in her decisions...wonder why that is. Anyway, this story is coming to a close, thanks for staying for the whole ride! We'll see what happens next in the last chapters of the story that is Strangled! **

**Don't be shy with the reviews, now; go ahead and give me a piece of your beautiful minds! I'd like to know what you're thinking! Until next time...**

**~DymondGold~**


	40. Disconcerted

**Enjoy :)**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing related to the Mortal Kombat franchise, be it settings, characters, themes, or the like; It belongs to Ed Boon, John Tobias, John Vogel, and many others along with Netherealm Studios. **

* * *

**Chapter Forty**

* * *

Things were getting bad. No, they were beyond bad. The chaos had spread from the courtyard to the towns uphill. I couldn't see exactly what was going on but it was quite obvious from the blazing fires lighting up the darkened buildings and edifices. I could hear the cries, far off and panicked, the cries of the citizens of Vaeternus coupled with the mad cackling and roaring of the Chaosrealm soldiers. Thick black stacks of smoke polluted the air in the distance. The courtyard here was stained red with the blood of the battle so I could imagine how much more vividly that same bloodshed painted the city. It disturbed me, the immense violence. All I could see when I gazed out at the urban Vaeternus destruction was Nightwolf's village. Is this what's destined for it as well?

"No." I whispered.

A shudder ran through me at the thought and I bowed my head. What I saw was my own two legs, bent at the knee as I sat upon Ermac's. They were partially reclined in the throne with their hands resting on the arm of the chair. Boredly, they drummed their fingers against the stone. All of a sudden Ermac shifted.

**"Just what we need," **Ermac sighed, **"That uppity stiff is here." **

Noob, too, sat up and said, "The thunder god must've tipped him off."

I frowned, puzzled. "Who are you talking about?"

On the courtyard I saw no one new. Wait a minute, things were changing down there. There was a new force combating the Chaosrealm warriors. These new soldiers were swift and orderly and were effectively pushing back the wild warriors; no, they were slaying the warriors with deadly accuracy. They knew just where to strike to take them out. It would seem these new, brightly-uniformed soldiers had dealt with a similar opponent to that of Havik's men. And speaking of Havik, he was currently toe-to-toe with a strange man. Oh wait, I _knew _that man!

As the beaten cleric was forced to his knees with a naginata at his throat, things came to a standstill. It was as if the savage warriors sensed their leader was in peril and didn't know how to proceed. Everyone stared at the two enemies, long-time enmity was practically palpably obvious with the pair. Their feud dated back several wars and rebellions. They were as different as dark and day. One of them, bleeding and heaving laborious breaths on the ground, didn't show any indication that the blade digging into his throat was causing him any pain. The skin around his face, his mouth and eyes and nose, flapped open in places so that sickly grey and pink meat showed through. The scars and gashes and open wounds littered his body and disfigured him beyond that of a what a normal mortal could withstand but it was not agony that coursed through his body; it was invigoration. Morbid elation only dampened by his latest defeat at the hands of his sworn enemy.

His enemy was not so brutish as he, at least not in appearance; though his robes were immaculate, his boots shining almost as brightly as his gleaming armor and his hair done up high with not so much as a strand out of place, he held just as much stone-hearted ruthlessness as the man at his feet. While Havik killed and wreaked his namesake all for the continuity of chaos, his enemy slaughtered in the name of preserving order.

"You're under arrest by the Seidan Guard," Hotaru spoke coldly, "You've broken your probation yet again."

His long, pin-straight hair moved as a ribbon in the wind while he maintained his stolid stance. He was tall, proud, finally able to relish, as much as he allowed himself, in the capture of his enemy. Havik remained on the ground. He had his face set in a scowl and his body quivered with rage. His anger augmented: he spat his blood, spit, and the tissue of his cheek that had begun to tear at the stoic general.

"The _Seidan_ _Guard_ has no authority over me!" Havik declared.

Quite calmly Hotaru kept the blade at Havik's throat but with his free hand he dug into his robes and pulled out a silk kerchief. After he'd wiped the sticky manifestation of Havik's disrespect from his alabaster face, he regarded the cleric coolly.

"Continue to resist arrest and you'll only make my day that much better," Havik warned, "You'll give me a reason to kill you."

Normally this was the point where Havik would see reason and surrender. Normally he'd place the continuity of chaos, his ultimate goal, above his own animosity and concede with the general's demands; all the while he'd plot his eventual successful escape from whatever torturous coercion belay him at the hands of the Seidan Council. But there was something about today that changed his mind.

On the throne I watched with avid curiosity. Perhaps it was the battle itself that had changed his mind. Things were definitely crazy today. People were losing their heads left and right, in every sense of the phrase. It was no surprise to me when Havik screamed terribly and lunged from his knees towards Hotaru.

He was beheaded in an instant.

His face was still caught in a scream as his head rolled along the courtyard, coming to rest at one of the Chaosrealmer's feet. The battle went downhill for them after that. Quelling their forces seemed like child's play for Hotaru's soldiers, at least from my vantage point. Like Noob and Ermac said, Raiden had to have alerted the Guard because he was shaking hands with Hotaru right now.

"Thank you for your help," Raiden said.

Hotaru's jaw was set and hard were his eyes, "I had no choice. The Chaosrealm would've soon plagued my home. I had no choice but to restore order."

I rolled my eyes, "All that bullshit: He probably jumped on the chance at facing Havik, no matter the situation."

I wasn't quiet enough, Noob heard me and he laughed. Apparently he knew and agreed that this was the case, too. The Seidan General turned to his troops and told them to take no prisoners and to leave absolutely no survivors. I assumed he was talking about the Chaosrealmers.

Ermac gently slid me off their lap and stood, then took my hand in their own. I stood and took it easy on my sore ankle. The rest had done it good, but it was still hurting.

"You know what to do," Ermac said to Noob. To me they said, "It's time."

Hand in hand I walked with Ermac to where the others were fighting. It was mainly the Hellspawn and the Tekunin going at it now. Ermac held me behind them and skulked up behind Sektor. So wrapped up the Grand Master was that he didn't realize the host's presence. Ermac hoisted the leader into the air and dismembered him before anyone had time to blink. All I saw was red going up in the air and then I got covered in oil and blood like the rest who were in the area. I was a trifle horrified. That easy, it was that easy to kill someone in such a gruesome way.

Ermac turned from their dirty deed and sought out the sorcerer. Ermac tightened their arms around him and for the moment Pasty could not get free. He thrashed violently, much like I would, but Ermac had his arms stuck by his sides. Pasty tried to scream out a spell or curse but Ermac sealed his blackened lips shut telepathically. I could tell that it was straining Ermac to contain the sorcerer; They could only keep this up for so long.

Noob sent Saibot out to a fast-approaching Scorpion. He had noticed the sorcerer's bound state and was coming to take advantage but the shadow tackled him and took him down, beneath the ground. Pasty tried to launch Ermac over his shoulder but failed and Noob came up beside the struggling emperor and stabbed him in the side. I didn't see where the knife had come from but it served its purpose: the sorcerer doubled over.

"Do it now, Mileena." Ermac told me.

I wanted to do it but. I sucked in a breath and wet my lips. My mouth, it was incredibly dry. Those hellish red eyes were glaring at me and I'm sure that if Ermac hadn't sealed his lips he'd be screaming foul things at me. My hands were shaking and so were my knees. I hoped they wouldn't buckle. So loud and so rapidly my heart was beating. They were still a bit far away, and now that the moment was upon me the short walk across the courtyard seemed to stretch on.

Ermac was losing patience, **"What are you waiting for?!" **

I shook at the loudness of his inquiry. Nervously I forced myself to walk forward mechanically until I reached them. Noob stood off to the side, but close enough to intervene should the sorcerer break away from Ermac. It amazed me how Ermac and Noob seemed to have the situation under their control. If it weren't for my hesitation, I believe Ermac would be just as unaffected and calm as Noob. But as it were, I couldn't make myself do what he wanted.

_Remember what he did to you, remember what he put you through! _that voice urged me, _Now is the time to get your revenge! Stop hesitating! _

I did remember what Pasty did to me. He had created fresh incidents just a couple of hours ago, how could I not? The cages and the drugs and of course, the curse. But had it been a curse?

Pasty was giving Ermac trouble again. Noob had to step closer but even with Pasty lashing out, Ermac got the upper hand. Noob cut him straight across his abdomen and with a muffled cry Pasty was brought to his knees. Ermac put his own in the sorcerer's back while adjusting their hold on his arms.

**"You try Our patience, Mileena." **Ermac seethed, **"Kill him now or we will!" **

It wasn't a curse. It wasn't a curse at all. Maybe at first it seemed like one, but how could a curse lead me to love? With all that's happened, I should be thanking Pasty for what's he's done. If it weren't for his intervention, where would I be? What would I be? I didn't want to know.

_He deserves to pay for what he's done! _that voice screamed.

I winced and pushed at my temple with my fingers. It was true. Regardless of what that curse has brought me, Pasty still abused me. He still put me through hell. That curse he laid on me was just one example. He deserved to pay, indeed.

**"Mileena!" **Ermac barked.

I jumped and pursed my lips. "Okay!" I shot back at them.

I wiped my wet palms on my damp shorts and took a stiff step forward. Pasty's eyes bore into me again but I didn't fear him. He was the one bound, he was the one about to die. He even looked it. His skin was caked with blood. The battle had not been good to him. Plus, the wounds Noob inflicted were long and deep. His blood flowed freely from his gut and from his side.

My hands were still trembling as I took my sai's into my hands and gripped them tightly. Pasty glowered up at me for all he was worth. I glared right back. He was bringing it up again, my hatred for him. I channeled my magic to the sai's and breathed in through my nose, then hissed it back out through my mouth. Back then I used to obsess over getting this revenge, over killing Pasty. I knew just how I would do it and had lots of ways of doing them depending on what mood I was in. For a long time I had lulled myself to sleep with these fantasies. I blinked hard and noticed that I still wasn't close enough to perform any other them.

But I was out of time.

I had waited too long. Ermac lost their temper and, consequently, their control over the emperor. The sorcerer broke free with a feral yell and backhanded Ermac. Had the host not been so keen as to propel into the air he might have caught them with the angry assault. Noob tried to grab onto Pasty's back but with some hidden strength Pasty threw him off. Noob quickly recovered but it was not the wraith Paste-Face was after; it was me.

I locked eyes with him as he ran towards me and stepped back. Now I was glad for my hesitance, it gave me a head start. I didn't want to run away from him, I just wanted to get a good distance between us so that I had room to fire a projectile at him. He wasn't letting up, though. He caught up to me from behind and squeezed my body up against his. All the blood loss must have gotten to him, though, because he was woozy on his feet. I knocked my head back against his he released me with a push to cradle his nose. I stumbled forward. Fell. Crawled away fast.

The back of my shirt and shorts were soggy with his blood and my body was sweating all over. My mouth was still dry as reeds and my heart, the thing was hammering away in my ears. I flipped from my knees onto my back and scooted frantically away from the sorcerer who was righting himself.

I shakily aimed my sai's at his face and threw them with all the force that was in me. One of them lodged itself in Pasty's cheek, deeply too. All the way to the hilt. I had to have put extra power behind that throw without knowing so. Pasty howled and ripped it from his face, then dropped my weapon onto the courtyard floor. It clattered behind him as he stalked forward. He was much more menacing with blood covering every inch of him. His eyes were shot and his skin was torn on his face. He was staggering and breathing heavily and snarling and shaking with fury.

I gulped and shot my hands forward; a blast of pink energy burst from them. It hit him square in the chest and there was an eruption of blood and chunks off meat there. He howled once more but kept coming. His meat, part of his ribs were actually showing! Yet he lumbered closer to me. I was terrified.

I couldn't pick myself up off the ground, I just lay there panting with others' blood on my skin and cheeks and with my elbows supporting the weight of my body. I shot out at the emperor again and again, but the same thing happened. It would seem that no matter how many times I blasted him he would not stop coming for me. His body was so mutilated by now it was like he had turned into the undead things he commanded, only worse. Too soon he was upon me.

With a savage growl the sorcerer bent down and swiped at me. I shrieked and scrambled backwards. Pasty gripped my leg in his hand and drew blood from how deeply his nails impressed the flesh there. He yanked me towards him and my back scraped painfully against the unforgiving concrete. He, himself, nearly stumbled with the force behind his tug and I kicked out at him.

"Get away!" I screamed.

I searched the courtyard for my sai's; why the hell did I throw them? They were so far away now. Pasty fell to his knees and I heard the bones of his caps crunch as they met the ground. I winced in spite of myself and contemplated whether his collapse was deliberate as he leaned over me. I tried to blast him but he took a firm hold of my wrists. Even though it burnt and sizzled the skin on his palms he held fast. I flexed my fingers fruitlessly and panted. This was. This was just.

Pasty breathed with a heavy wheeze. His spit was hot as it dripped onto my forehead. He had an absolutely maniacal look about his eyes as he began to speak thickly. Again, it was too late before I realized he was again cursing me. I screamed as the intense tortures again befell me.

On the ground I writhed and shuddered and trembled as he laughed. His lips were spewing blood and spells simultaneously now. I saw spots dance before my eyes as my mouth was wrenched open to make way for the horrible shrieks that tore from my belly through my throat. This was worse, thousands of times worse than the previous curse.

But then it all stopped. The pain abruptly halted. The spark in Pasty's eyes that had alighted as soon as he started torturing me was drained immediately and a glassy blankness took hold. Then his head was ripped from his shoulders, along with his spiked vertebrae.

* * *

Scorpion was furious. How dare he be denied what he had earned, what he had fought for and deserved?! He had a hard time overpowering Noob's bloodthirsty counterpart but the shadow was overpowered nonetheless. He resurfaced in the courtyard of Vaeternus seeing red, daring the sorcerer to have been slain by anyone in his absence. But as the courtyard was nearly empty, save for his gathered clan, he found his target at once.

Of course Noob tried to block him but in his rage Scorpion shoved him aside. He counted the wraith among those fortunate because that was all that he had chose to do. The host was in the air and did not impede him, oddly enough. Scorpion pondered this not as he rushed in on his target. The slim, beautifully desecrated body beneath the sorcerer nearly distracted him but he hesitated only momentarily before sealing the sorcerer's fate.

With effort, Scorpion gripped Quan Chi by either side of his head and pulled and pulled and pulled until he dislodged the immortal's head, spine and all.

Turning to his clan, he rose the mangled head and vertebrae high and they all gave a mighty shout. Their vengeance had finally been met. Under the celebratory clamor they made their way back to the Netherealm to recuperate with the spectre leading the lot of them.

* * *

I was too numb to move out of the way: Pasty's dead, decapitated body lurched forward of its own accord and crushed me beneath it. Now the front of my shirt was soaked with blood. Blood leaked onto my neck and oozed onto my arms. My body was still in shock from the pain. The tingling burning ache was only just slipping from my bones. The trembling rumbled through my muscles and rocked in crests and waves through my limbs. I was nauseous. I didn't want to move. It hurt to move. It hurt all over. The curse wasn't lifted this time, it was left to ebb away all on its own and it took forever to do so. I couldn't breathe. I felt like I was dying.

Was I dying?

Damn I didn't know. I blinked and looked only as far as my eyes could see. It was dark out and there had been a significant drop in temperature. My whole body was cold and wet. With water, with sweat, with lots and lots of blood. Most of it had caked and dried but the majority of it still clung to my clothes and skin in coagulated coats. The breath I tried to suck through my lips was ice cold and didn't reach my lungs. It stuck at the top of my throat. I was getting dizzy.

Noob Saibot walked over to me, kicked Pasty's dead body off of me and a great whoosh of air flooded my mouth. I rolled onto my side and coughed. The force behind the coughs wracked my entire frame. The coughing irritated my sore, dry throat but it was such a shock to suddenly be able to breathe correctly again. I took several more breaths, each got deeper than the last, and I began to think clearly again. The fact that the pain was gone at last helped to settle my mind as well. I assessed myself.

Aside from the stinging on my lower back, I was relatively fine. There were many cuts and bruises on my body but they were nothing life threatening. In fact, I'm sure they'll be gone before the month is out. I shakily rose to a sitting position. The hard ground offered me no comfort and chafed against the undersides of my legs cruelly. I was alive. I was fine.

"Well that was...anticlimactic." Noob sighed.

I raised my head and saw him walking slowly around me and the body. I couldn't look at that body. With haste I struggled to my feet and stepped away from it. For good measure I turned my back. I couldn't look at it, I couldn't face him like that. It confused me. Why couldn't I kill him? Why wasn't I the one to bring about his torturous end as he had almost done to me? Why couldn't I do it? What happened? What was wrong with me? I had the perfect chance, I had ample opportunity and I didn't jump on it. It made me angry and frustrated and then...I just stopped feeling. Stopped caring. He was dead, and that was what mattered. He wasn't coming back, he was dead and cold and even paler now that all the blood was coming out of him.

I turned around.

Noob and Ermac were the only others still in the courtyard. The wind whistled eerily through the emptiness. I shivered and marveled at the enormous amount of red spilled everywhere. It was incredible that so much blood could come of such a brief battle. I stepped next to Pasty's corpse and sighed.

"I think I understand, now." I murmured.

I understood what Nightwolf meant. Maybe I couldn't get my revenge because I didn't really want it as bad as I thought I did. Maybe it's because of him that I couldn't finish Pasty off. Nightwolf has changed a lot about me. He always did discourage my obsession with revenge but I didn't get why until now. I suppose it didn't matter now, Pasty's dead and I won't have to deal with him anymore. Now I can move on.

I gained strength with this revelation. It was over at last. My struggle to hunt down Pasty while simultaneously dodging Rain's pursuit of me and watching my back against Ermac and Noob. I didn't have to tip-toe and bend over backwards trying to keep myself and the people I care about safe.

It was quiet. Ermac and Noob were just standing there, regarding me. They seemed to be waiting for me to collect myself. I gave them a little nod to let them know I was okay now. I was very much okay now. I needed sleep, and food, and a bath, and water, granted, but other than that I was okay.

Noob came over to me and handed me my stained sai's. Gingerly I took them from him and put them into the loops of my shorts. Back where they belonged. I took a shuddering breath and still couldn't believe it was actually over. Ermac and Noob were ever at ease. They just looked at me. I'm not sure why, but that helped me calm down, too.

Ermac asked me, "Where's the talisman?"

I frowned. I had forgotten about that. The last time I checked, I had stuck it in my pocket. I looked down and brushed my hair out of my face. Into both of my pockets I dug and my face abruptly fell. Ermac saw the dismay conveyed upon my features and drew closer to me. I pulled out the cracked, chipped pieces of what remained of the talisman. No doubt it had been crushed when Pasty's body fell on me. It was a delicate thing, it wouldn't have stood a chance.

Ermac looked at my hand and sighed. I looked at it, too. My hands were just as filthy as the rest of me. The paleness of my clammy palm was dotted with splashes of, you guessed it, more blood. There was blood everywhere. I let the thin wood pieces fall to the floor and dusted the little splints onto my shorts.

"I thought you wanted to finish him off," Noob spoke to me.

I swallowed and looked down at my feet, "Yeah me too."

"So why didn't you?" the wraith questioned.

I shrugged, then marked his earlier words, "Your guess is as good as mine."

Noob shook his head and said again, "So anticlimactic. Ah well. At least this is over."

Ermac stepped to their partner and formed a sort of huddle between the three of us. "This realm, and many others, now belong to us since we defeated its former emperor."

Ermac spoke as if there was an audience besides Noob and I present to bear witness.

"Technically," Noob interjected, "It was Scorpion who defeated Chi."

Ermac spoke tersely, "If Scorpion wants the throne of Outworld he can challenge us at anytime. **Until then, _we _are the new emperor." **

Noob started walking away, "Hm, I see. I suppose it's back to the Netherealm, then."

Ermac didn't stop him. Seeing Noob leave made me think of Nightwolf's village. I wanted to go home. It had been a long day and I wanted Nightwolf. I wanted to bathe and eat and sleep for a very long time. There was no way I could get there at the moment, for I possessed no ability to teleport and my portal-forming skills were shoddy at best. The courtyard was devoid of anyone who'd help me. Oh Ermac was there of course.

But like I said, it was devoid of anyone who'd help me.

I highly doubted the host would help me after what I'd done. I'm talking about the talisman, the one I broke into tiny little pieces. Ermac was probably mad at me. I mean, as of right then they were walking over to Pasty's body, ignoring me. But then, they did that all the time. Even if Ermac was mad at me, I decided I would still try to ask their assistance. I'm not Rain; the worst they could do is say no. I coughed shallowly and started towards the host.

When I got about a half a foot away from them, they froze. I cleared my throat softly, pointedly, and they turned around.

"What is it?" Ermac asked.

I gazed at him, "Could you, um, take me back to Nightwolf's village?"

Ermac stared at me blankly.

"I'm sorry about the talisman." I felt the need to add.

Ermac continued to stare. Were they that mad?

"If there's something you want me to do?" I trailed.

Normally I wouldn't dare proposition Ermac in that way but I was desperate to be back in the village and to see Nightwolf again. Ermac was my only chance. It would be nearly impossible for me to transcend realms on my own. At last, Ermac responded in the form of taking my waist and pulling me close to their chest by the small of my back. In a blink we were away from the courtyard and in the woods.

Just being in that familiar forest calmed my nerves; I thought I was alright before but no. _Now _I was alright.

Ermac let go of my back but kept their hold on my waist. I lifted a brow, flaked with dried red splotches, in confusion. Ermac began to speak.

"Mileena," They said in a solemn murmur, "You would make a most fit empress of Outworld. If you wish it, you may return to the main palace and serve under us."

I didn't even give the host the time of day. I knew their type. When Ermac said serve, Ermac did mean serve. My life under their control would probably be all good and dandy at first, but if I were ever to step out of line just once my time from then on would be likened to a veritable hell. Ermac wanted a slave. I could not be it.

"That's alright." I told him politely.

I hated being polite but the situation called for it. I couldn't go hastily turning down one such as the host. Ermac's temper...Plus I kinda wanted to be on their good side. Who knew what the future held. It wouldn't bode well for me to offend them.

The host nodded and stepped back, "It's the shaman, isn't it?"

"Not really," I lied. "I just don't want to rule, is all."

Ermac's soulful green, pupil-less eyes were knowing but they only backed up more and sighed. "That's really too bad."

They were gone, but the moment lingered. I shivered and brushed the odd experience behind me. This was over now. I was back at home.

* * *

**A/N: Sorry if this chapter disappointed you. I wasn't really satisfied with how I ended this conflict but it is what it is :P There will be more chapters, of course, this is just the end of the battle. There's still some things left; I'd give it two or three more chapters max. Thanks for sticking through with me! This has been a journey. **

**Just because things are winding down doesn't mean you don't need to review! I still wanna know what you people think! By the way, what else would you guys like to see in terms of MK stories? I already have one in plan, a Sonya/Shang story. Anything else? **

**Ah well. Things are going to be relatively tame from here on out. Once again, thanks for sticking with me! Until next time...**

**~DymondGold~**


	41. Liberated

**Thank you to all my reviewers/followers/etc. I appreciate your encouragement. I tried very hard to get this out in a timely fashion under the current circumstances I'm in so I hope you like it. Oh, and btw, don't forget to let me know what you think via a review :)**

**Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: None of the themes/characters/settings belong to me, it's all Netherealm Studios' property along with Ed Boon and his friends John Tobias and John Vogel, among others. I thank them for creating such an awesome game franchise!**

* * *

**Chapter Forty-One**

* * *

_He was surrounded by his element on all sides, encased in it as it poured in the form of his namesake down onto his head. He vaguely recognized his location to be that of the woods. Those of Vaeternus. There was not a soul in sight save for his own and aimlessly he wandered the thick woods with the fabric of his long cloak getting progressively heavier as it took in the weight of the rain._

_There was a flash of color, a brief blink of light tan against the drab greenery in front of him; it was accompanied by the tell-tale rustle of leaves and branches. He knew then that he couldn't have been alone. His hair limply obstructed his view but he couldn't be bothered to move it away at the moment. Past trees and around corners he maneuvered with nothing but his own footsteps and the sound of the rain pattering onto the ground in his ears. Hastily he attempted to catch up to the stranger. He saw pieces of them; a pair of legs, a hand, the profile of a face. Finally he reached them._

_Her._

_Soaking wet from the roots of her hair all the way down to her bare toes she was. Her ebony hair clung to her cheeks and curled under her chin. Water dripped from her thick lashes onto her stunning high cheekbones and several drops ran down the tip of her nose, down the lobes of her ears, down her neck and into the valley in between her breasts out of his sight thanks to the shirt she wore; although it didn't hide much. A shiver shook her slim frame and stirred him into action. With his body he guided her against the softened bark of a wide-based tree. His hands found hers and he lifted them high above her head. He observed her. She was. Unreal._

_Her head, which had been tilted up as he lifted her hands, lowered so that her dark eyes were gazing up at him. He'd never seen such eyes as hers, expressive as they were. She was waiting for him. He couldn't stop staring. She was so incredibly unreal. He remembered then, that he had seen her before, but it was as if he was first laying eyes on her for all the effect she had over him. Her lips parted, moved, but he was too entranced with the motions of her mouth to understand what it was she was trying to say. Her pink tongue darted out into the steady spray of rain and he found he could keep himself from her no longer._

_Her mouth was sweet, pliable, soft. Without hesitance she yielded to his advances and he furthered his kisses from her mouth down to her neck. In the rain, tasting her body was a slippery affair. His mouth glided over the curve of her throat and steadily he raked his fingertips from her wrists down arms. With her hands now free she slipped them around his neck. The rain, it pelted her cheeks and nose and forced her eyes closed. He recaptured her lips, ghosted over her hips with his hands and hooked them under her knees. Easily he lifted her against the trunk of the tree so that she her height matched his. Of her own volition she wound her legs round him and snaked her hands down from his neck to the inside of his cloak, onto his bare shoulders beneath. Her fingers splayed and the muscles on his back shuddered. Her hands were warm compared to the drenched cloak. Unthinkingly, he shrugged out of it and let it drop to the forest floor. He released one of her thighs to push the hair from his forehead._

_Because he had taken to kissing and biting her stomach she had begun making the most delicious noises above him. He pulled back from the glistening skin there and tugged at her soggy black sleeveless shirt until he had it over her head and onto the ground as well. The bandages that made up her bra was made short work of by the prince. In each hand he grasped her bare chest and felt her tense. He rubbed his thumbs over the tight buds of flesh before doing the same with his tongue. Her breath hitched in the most delicious of ways. He scraped his teeth against each of her breasts and felt her tangle one of her hands in his hair. She was pulling at the silk strands of his wet locks but it didn't hurt so much as it heightened his own excitement._

_From there he retracted his tongue and let his skilled hands pick up where his mouth left off. His kisses weren't enough for her if that restless writhing was any indication to him. Her tan skin was flaming under his lips. Soon they brushed against the cold little contraption that was the zipper of her shorts. Still using only his mouth, as his hands were still at work, he worked the black fabric apart at the metal seam._

_And that was as far as he got before she pushed at his chest and unwound her legs from around him. He gazed up at her but her eyes were elsewhere, lit in recognition and. And. Something else. Whatever it was, it compelled her to stride away from the prince and towards a new figure, one shrouded in light. He shielded his eyes and tried to follow her but the light, it held him back, it kept him from her. He watched as her eyes, their darkness gave way to pure, glowing white as the lightness enveloped the two of them, her and the strange figure, and then she was no more. He was left in the pouring rain alone._

* * *

Compared to the utter destruction in Vaeternus, I'd say Nightwolf's village was looking pretty good. A fire had hit somewhere, I couldn't place it but I could tell it had since the charred remains of various huts and wood posts were there to show for. All over there were burnt debris and some dark patches of dirt ground that I'm sure was stained by blood. Other than that, there wasn't much more damage to the village and for that I was glad. Really glad.

As I walked through the square I kinda felt lost. There was certainly enough going on for me to feel that way. It wasn't totally chaotic like in the courtyard, but it was enough to make me feel like I was just...invisible. It was a hard feeling to describe. I felt like I was just floating through instead of walking, I felt completely unnoticed. Maybe I was still a little spacey from the battle. I didn't really know. People rushed to and from different huts and there were people being carried around, obviously injured. None of them saw or acknowledged me, which only exacerbated that detached feeling I had. Everyone was moving around doing things and it was just as if they were moving through me.

I sighed and stopped walking. It was kind of late here, but not night like in Vaeternus. It was only early evening, like five or six. The sun was still peeking over the horizon, about to dip down low for the day. I was still in favor of eating and bathing and sleeping soon, so it would be wise of me to find Nightwolf so that I could.

The first place I thought to check was in the healer's tent. I had to wait a second for the warriors to carried a wounded woman in first but I stepped under the flap right on their heels. I brushed past other people in search of the shaman but didn't find him. It was fate that I ran into Sonya instead.

"Hey." I said flatly.

She was about to greet me as well but stopped, opting for a mildly astonished inquiry instead. She wanted to know what happened.

"I don't wanna talk about it." I snapped.

She looked at me and I had to add, "Not right now."

"I understand," She claimed. "It's just...all that blood."

"Most of it isn't mine," I stated.

By her expression I could tell that hadn't really made the unsettling sight any better.

Sonya looked just as tired as I felt. Her hair was stringy in its limp ponytail and her skin was covered in a mixture of sweat and dirt and other grime. She was sagging around the shoulders and her back was slightly hunched. I'm sure I looked worse, being caked in other people's blood and all.

"Is everybody okay?" I asked.

"Nobody's dead if that's what you're wondering." She said brusquely, "Just some minor injuries here and there. Nightwolf's warriors _all _made it out okay, miraculously. They weren't in the direct line of attack so that's good..."

Sonya started to stare at me funny. She had a curious look in her blue eyes, one tinged with sly knowing.

"What?" I asked somewhat defensively. I didn't like being stared at.

She smiled, "You just asked about the others' welfare. You _do _care, don't you?"

I shrugged uncomfortably. "I don't know, maybe. Where's Nightwolf?"

"Around," Sonya answered. "Don't know where he is exactly."

"Okay." I huffed.

I was really anxious to find him and get cleaned up and settled. I left the tent and stretched a little.

"Ah!" I hissed.

I guess after all this, my ankle still isn't well. Just like that, all my other aches and pains made themselves known: those scratches on my back from where Pasty dragged me across the courtyard, for instance. I decided to nix the hunt for Nightwolf and just wait for him at his hut. Hopefully he'd be there, and if not then that's where he'd be later on no doubt. In my condition I couldn't keep moving on. I was dead on my feet. The closer I got to his home, past the throng of people and away from the din of the recovering village, the more at ease I began to feel.

* * *

Good gods I looked like shit. I mean, it was mostly because of all the blood but not totally. My hair was greasy and matted together in some places with the sticky redness. I was paler, not in a good way either. It was a sickly washed out tint to my usual pretty tan coloring. I did look shitty, but that was why I was here. In the bathroom. Naked. Standing in front of the mirror assessing myself as the tub filled up with steaming clear water. I didn't want to make a huge mess or stain the tub too bad so I laid an old towel on the floor to stand on. I took a smaller rag cloth, wet it good, and used it to scrub off most of the blood from every inch of me. All the parts I could reach at least.

Finally I was done and the tub had reached the brim almost. I pulled the plug up and let a bit of the water out so it wouldn't overflow once I got in. Having done that, I slipped beneath the surface and stretched my legs out in front of me. The water was scalding at first, but I got used to it. It sizzled and hissed as the dirt and blood and sweat was absconded from my skin. It felt so good.

I grinned and closed my eyes.

The tar soap Nightwolf had worked wonders on my skin and soon it was as if I had never even been in a battle. I didn't stink as bad either. I sniffed my wrist and underarm: in fact, I smelled kind of nice. I took the clean towel and dried off my arms, legs, and feet. I roughly tousled the towel over my hair and then wrapped it around me tightly. The feeling of being clean and warm was enough to bring on the drowsiness. I yawned as I bent over to pick up my dirty clothes and muddy shoes. I deposited the shoes outside our bedroom and took the soiled clothes past the kitchen, outside the front door. Pulling a face, I dropped them onto the ground and clapped my hands past each other to get rid of the powdery flakes of blood. I turned round and headed back into the house. It had only just occurred to me that I had stepped out the hut in only a towel; I was however, nonplussed.

Just because I pulled that stiff, itchy gown over my head and tugged at the hem of the black garment until I had it on straight. With its high collar and puffy cap sleeves, I guess it was kinda cute. Just a little. The itchiness outweighed any of its potential, though. I sighed and closed the dresser drawer. It was a little late but not really; only about an hour had elapsed since I first got in the tub.

I walked from the dresser over to the mirror. Nightwolf's comb was on top the dresser, I picked that up and started working through my damp hair gently. I couldn't help it, after a few hiccups in the process I got frustrated and started yanking and pulling on my poor locks unforgivingly. Nightwolf had way more patience than me; when he did this, he made sure to work through every tangle with painstaking precaution. After a while I was through. I set the comb back down in its place and rubbed tiredly at my eyes. The pallet was looking real appealing but I knew that if I even sat atop its warm blankets I would be out in a heartbeat. I wanted to stay up til Nightwolf made it home.

I pushed past the straw partition and padded barefoot down the hall into the kitchen. In the empty hut the chair scraped loudly as I pulled it from the table and plopped down into it. I would wait until Nightwolf came home, then I would. I would.

My eyes grew heavy.

* * *

Normally he wasn't prone to pacing, but seeing as sleep eluded him for the time being he would indulge in the practice. Well, that wasn't entirely true. Sleep _had _come to him, and abundantly so. It was just the content of his peaceful slumber that left him now restless. He'd had another dream, one of _her _again. He just couldn't understand it. No, not the dream. That was quite clear to understand. It was no surprise to him once he had begun to dissect the involuntary vision after waking. He had drenched her in water and had been foolish enough to turn round and take a look at his handiwork after having done so. That was a mistake. The mental image of her soaking wet all over had been plaguing his mind all day yesterday, but he had managed to push it aside and ignore it. Only to have it manifest itself awfully in the form of that. That. Abominable episode that was his latest dream.

He couldn't understand why she loitered within his mind lately. It didn't make sense. What had started as passing fantasies incurred only within his dreams while he slept now haunted him during the daytime as well. He would catch himself thinking of her body and of her curvy lips and would have to catch himself. For this was Mileena he was talking about, and he shouldn't be thinking of her in that way.

But he was.

The prince frowned and pushed his fingers angrily through his dark hair. This didn't make any sense. She was just a stupid wench, a filthy whore. So why couldn't he stop those dirty little thoughts from invading his mind? The ones that played images of he and she together quite intimately. He didn't know why, and it was frustrating him to no end. He had no place for her in his life, unless it was that of a slave or consort. And even in those instances he found he could not be bothered. She was too stubborn and barbaric for his tastes.

"Tch. _Bitch_." He growled to himself.

He didn't want to waste any more time pondering the oddity of it all. She was a nuisance and no matter how confusing those dreams and his own emotions regarding her were, he decided he'd leave the whole affair alone. If he had his way, once he obtained his goals he'd never see hide nor hair of her again anyway. He'd be king of someplace, perhaps Edenia. He'd have droves of women at his feet and then those crazy dreams would finally stop.

Rain smirked. He looked down at his chest and saw the false amulet glowing there. The real one was out there somewhere. He had checked the courtyard yesterday but couldn't find it or the old emperor anywhere. No matter. As long as he still had the one around his neck, tracking down the real amulet would be no problem.

The prince stretched his arms behind his back and rolled his neck. Now that his mind was a bit clearer, he supposed he'd get back to sleep. He had all the time in the world to hunt down the amulet, there was no harm in starting in the morning, he figured. He sauntered over to the twin-sized bed he'd been occupying and crashed down un-elegantly upon it. To retrieve the gift amulet he'd returned to Chi's lair in Edenia and found that the wench Mileena wasn't lying; it was right under the bed like she'd told him.

He made a face against the musky-scented pillow.

He didn't want to bring her up again. He needed rest. His search would be a most vigilant one. It would be, after all, one of the pinnacle moments of his life; gaining the true amulet, that is. With that thought Rain rolled onto his bare back and propped both his legs up at the knees. In a cradle of his folded arms he rested his head and breathed out a contented sigh through his nose. He'd have the amulet in no time, he was sure of it. Then things would change for him. He would be able to build himself up somewhere inconspicuous, like Earthrealm he supposed. Then, when he'd gained strength he'd return to Outworld to cut down his enemies; at the top of the list was Ermac. And that bitch Mileena. Then he'd build his own kingdom in Edenia perhaps and flourish there from then on to the rest of his life as king.

Rain fell asleep again with a confident smirk playing on his lips.

* * *

Voices; I heard them. They were coming from above me. I blinked and opened my eyes and tried to stretch out but found my arms meeting resistance against someone's chest. It was Nightwolf. I looked around and found that I was no longer sitting slouched at the kitchen table but folded up against his body in a bridal hold. I gazed up at his strong jaw as he spoke softly with the thunder god a few feet in front of him. Soon their words began to make sense.

"Ermac is gone, no one can locate him. Several prominent figures were found dead as well." Raiden spoke gravely.

Nightwolf frowned, "Such as?"

"Sektor, GrandMaster of the Lin Kuei was among them, along with the last of his Tekunin. Quan Chi was killed also, but his body remains yet undiscovered." he reported.

I shuddered. I could probably bet that either Rain or Ermac had the body. No, Rain probably didn't, all he cared about was the amulet. Knowing him, he'd most likely snatch it and be on his way, leaving Pasty's body to rot where it lay. Ermac, though, would hold on to it. And...do what? I didn't know. Maybe they wanted to destroy it so that Pasty had no chance of ever coming back. But then that would involve Pasty's soul being shattered as well. Hm, for Ermac that won't be a problem anyway.

"Hotaru and his guard were successful," Raiden continued, "The chaos has been detained and Earth is safe once more. For now."

Nightwolf nodded and watched the thunder god do the same before leaving. After he'd gone, the chief turned round and kicked the door ajar with his foot, then shouldered it open the rest of the way.

"I tried to wait up for you," I murmured into the supple fabric of Nightwolf's vest, "But I guess I fell asleep."

The chief's laugh was a soft, quiet one. "Indeed you did. And you hardly looked comfortable in that chair, love."

I smiled. It was so good to hear him laugh again. Nightwolf cradled me gently all the way from the den down the hallway to the bedroom. He set me down on the pallet and I winced: my ankle was smarting again. Nightwolf, being keen as ever, noticed my discomfort and knelt down in front of me.

"What is it?" he asked.

I automatically told him, "Nothing. I mean, it's just my ankle, it can wait."

Nightwolf scolded me with that one look. I wasn't giving in, though. Nightwolf has probably been fighting all day, he was still wearing the same dirty grungy clothes from the day before, for gods' sakes. No doubt he was incredibly tired and exhausted. I gave him a severe look of my own and crossed my arms at my chest.

"Look, you need to take a bath and rest. The bruises and other injuries I have can wait til tomorrow. I don't want you wearing yourself out. Just take it easy tonight." I advised him.

He smiled wryly at me and said, "Mileena if you insist. But at least let me have a look at them."

I shook my head and my hair brushed past my cheeks. "No, it can wait."

Nightwolf rose and appeared to have capitulated. He turned round after another loving smile aimed in my direction and ambled over to the dresser. While he started taking out a pair of dark pants I crawled under the sheets and made myself comfortable. This day had definitely been one of the longest ever. I wasn't quite ready to lie down here and evaluate the intricacies of it just yet. For now I wanted to sleep.

Nightwolf took one of the quickest baths I've known him to take and when he came striding towards the pallet I could see that he was still a little damp all over. Still, that didn't stop me from curving my body snug up against his when he laid down to rest. Nightwolf tucked me against his chest and wrapped his arm around my waist. With his chin resting on the top of my head I just felt so safe and at ease. There was just one thing I had to do.

"Nightwolf," I whispered.

I shifted so that we were face to face. He looked down at me curiously, but sleepily still. I smiled tiredly and pushed myself forward so that our lips met in a warm embrace. He was quick to respond by pressuring his mouth against mine, then he pulled back and kissed my forehead.

"Goodnight." I said as I turned back around.

"Goodnight, my love." He whispered back.

Now I could sleep easy.

* * *

**A/N: The only reason this is short is because I have big things planned for the next chapter that wouldn't go well with the tone of this one. So I decided to split up the next event by cutting things off here. As usual, your input is valued and I love to hear what you thought of this story, as it is soon coming to a close. Thanks for hanging in there and supporting me! Until next time,**

**~DymondGold~**


	42. Resolved

**Sorry for the awful wait. Life got in the way and I was feeling kinda depressed. But I'm better now! **

**I have to say it was a genuine pleasure having so many people read and review my work, and I'm glad I got to express myself through my favorite video game in the whole world; I have to dedicate this to the makers of Mortal Kombat for creating such a fantastic game such as MK Trilogy because it served as wonderful inspiration to this very convoluted story :) **

**Here's the second to last chapter; Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: None of the themes/characters/settings belong to me, it's all Netherealm Studios' property along with Ed Boon and his friends ****John Tobias and John Vogel.**

* * *

**Chapter Forty-Two**

* * *

At the moment I was torn. Lying in bed with the blankets wrapped around me and the pillow feeling just right underneath my head, I was blissfully comfortable. The sunlight that streamed in from the window wasn't too bright but it was warm, and it let me know that it was after eleven at least; that was good, sleeping in felt so nice. I didn't want to leave the bed anytime soon, but that was where I had the dilemma. The only thing that would make this moment more perfect is if Nightwolf were lying here beside me. As it was, he'd gotten up earlier than me and had gotten dressed, and was most likely fixing breakfast if my nose wasn't betraying me. It usually didn't. So now I had a choice to make. I could either lie here and sleep for a couple of more hours, _gods know I could_, or I could get up and go eat whatever heavenly meal Nightwolf's cooking in there.

Choices, choices.

I decided to get up. Forcing my eyes open was the first and hardest thing to do, but throwing back those toasty covers and baring my feet onto the dirt floor was no easy task either. I shivered but rubbed my arms and stood anyway. I pulled my arms behind me and stretched my back until it popped satisfyingly.

"Good morning, Denhoze." Nightwolf greeted.

I turned abruptly and saw him in the doorway just standing there. I hadn't even heard him come up. He was smiling down at me like I was his angel and could do no wrong. It was a far cry from the truth but it made me feel all light and pleased inside. I smiled back without hesitance and strode over to him. He made room for me in his arms as he enveloped me in a hug and indulged in a kiss to the top of my head. I reclined on my heels with my arms around his neck and beamed.

"What did you cook?" I asked him.

He shrugged. "Breakfast."

"I mean what for breakfast!" I specified. "And don't say 'food'." I warned.

Nightwolf looked down at me and answered solemnly, "Meat."

At that I released him and sank down onto the flat of my feet again. I smirked coyly and maneuvered around him, running my hand down the length of his back while I did.

"Good. I like meat." I told him.

Nightwolf didn't say anything but as he walked down the hall to the kitchen with me, I saw the corner of his lips twitching against a wry smile. I slipped naturally under his arm and let him guide me by the waist over to my chair. He pulled the wood out from under the table and I sank down into it. I swung my feet idly against the floor and leaned my head onto my folded arms on the table.

While Nightwolf tended the grill I observed him. He was the same, almost. The only thing that had changed was that there were circles under his eyes. They were fading fast, though. Somehow I knew I had caused them, indirectly. He was always worried about me. But now, he didn't have to worry. Now, Pasty was dead and Ermac was off my back and Noob was back in his little hellhole and Rain, well, I really didn't know what became of him and frankly I didn't give a shit. If it was all the same, I hoped to gods Ermac didn't find him because the host was dead-set on mangling him to death. It wouldn't bode well for the cocky prince to meet an end by Ermac's hands, even I didn't wish that on him. But if it happened, I couldn't say the bastard didn't have it coming. He had done his share of evils against me and a lot of others and although I could let it go (I believe it was because of Nightwolf that I was able to do so), Ermac had no intention of letting Rain slide. Like I said, he better not run into the host if he knows what's good for him.

Abruptly I sat up.

"That's enough of that," I whispered to myself while pulling a face.

I didn't want to think about Ermac or Noob or Rain or anybody else that I used to associate with. I'm not like I used to be and I didn't want any reminders of the past. I had a new life now, one that I was building with Nightwolf. It was time to leave all that bad blood in the past for sure. Pasty's dead, the war is over, and I'm going to be spending my life here in the village with the man I loved. That reminds me.

"Nightwolf, when are we getting married?" I asked.

Nightwolf poked at the meat on the grill before sliding it onto a woven plate. He had a thoughtful look on his face. His long hair was pushed behind his ears and fell behind his shoulders. His black vest was wide open and bore the bright red fox insignia on the back. His turquoise pants fit him sort of exactly and disappeared at the ankles inside his brown fur boots. He had a black band round his brow, I noticed, as he carried the food over to me. When he set it down in front of me, along with a cup of lukewarm water, he sighed.

"Whenever you are ready, Mileena." He answered at last.

I picked at my food, "I mean, I know we're already basically together for, um, like forever right? But I was wondering if we were gonna get married like you said when I first came here."

Nightwolf smiled fondly down at me. He pulled out the empty chair closest to me and sat down in it with his legs agape. He took a moment to regard me before responding.

"It depends solely on you, my love. Whenever you wish to commence with the ceremony is fine." He murmured.

I nodded, but it was starting to make me uncomfortable talking about this. Not that I didn't want to have some kind of wedding or marriage, I did love Nightwolf and it sounded sort of...festive or fun I guess. But it just made me feel weird talking about this right now, it was so odd even after all this time. I felt a little lost inside when the gravity of the situation weighed down: Pasty was dead. I had no obligations, no revenge to chase, no enemies hunting me, no reason to watch my back and keep up my guard. I had nothing to do but stay in this village with Nightwolf and be whatever he needs me to be until. Until we both die I suppose. I was disconcerting and I couldn't put my finger on the why.

"Are you alright?" Nightwolf asked me.

I blinked and nodded hurriedly. "Yeah, um. Just thinking is all."

Nightwolf nodded in turn. He let me eat my food in peace and when I was done he got up and fixed me another helping, which I finished in no time as well. Once I was done, Nightwolf cleaned the grill and the dishes and came over to me.

"You should dress, Mileena. There's someone who wants to see you," He stated, "And I'm sure they wouldn't want to visit you in just that gown. Though I'm glad you've become partial to it."

I scoffed, "I still can't stand this thing. I just wore it...just because."

"Wait, who wants to see me?" I frowned.

Nightwolf said, "Go and get dressed and you'll see."

"Can't you just tell me?" I asked.

"I could. But I don't think I will," Nightwolf mused, "Now go and get dressed."

"Alright, fine." I relented.

I already had an idea of who he was referring to anyway. I pushed away from the table and dipped my hands under the sink faucet. The water was warm and washed away the grease and seasoning from the meat I'd eaten from my fingers. I wrung my hands dry in the skirt of my gown and slapped aside the straw partition of the bedroom.

It felt good not being held down anymore. Today was a day I felt compelled to remember or something. It was like the first day of being free and the first official day of my new life. It was enough to put a silly smile on my face as I hopped onto the dresser. I caught my profile in the mirror and my smile faltered. I still wasn't complete, though; the curse hadn't been totally lifted. But did I really want that?

I decided I didn't.

My claws and fangs, those weren't even mine. I had no claim to them. Sure, they did me a world of good when I needed them but they truly had no place in my life now. I wasn't an assassin anymore, I was gonna be a wife and though that still entailed me kicking ass, what I didn't have in claws and fangs I could totally make up in my skill with knives and daggers anyway. I was a pro marks-woman I nearly always hit my target. I could get by without the claws and fangs. Besides, I felt like those things had been thrust upon me without my consent when Tsung made me. Although the same could be said of my new appearance, I'd had time to make adjustments and get used to my new body. It wasn't because I was socially accepted this way, I really don't give a damn what other people think, because I was absolutely positive that Nightwolf would love me no matter how I looked on the outside. It was settled then.

This was me.

I jumped down from the dresser and wriggled my toes on the dirt floor. I was happy. Everything about this man, his home, his village I loved. I had no problem resigning myself to a lifetime with him.

* * *

The day was yet early and the skies were clear. The trees and forest animals emitted a fresh sense of vitality and the air around was sweet. All this Kitana noticed while her eyes roamed everywhere but on the person sitting on the warm grass across from her. A hand-woven cloth and a spread of a meal lay between the two. The food was not so palatial as they come; it was a quickly procured meal by Nightwolf himself upon the princess' last minute request. Well-seasoned venison, warm sweet potatoes and flat bread were accompanied by the strong-scented spiced cider drink that filled two small gourds.

It was a picnic she was going for.

The idea was impromptu, really. Kitana had felt the gnawing of hunger in the sides of her stomach and had observed the day to be that of compatible weather for eating outdoors in comfort. She had come to the chief for his aid and had thanked him time and time again for complying on such short notice. But now that everything was laid out she found her appetite had deserted her. The hunger was still there but the desire to eat had been fleeting, apparently, for now she couldn't move herself to take a bite. She had too much on her mind and the person across from her reminded her of seemingly every issue she had temporarily forgotten about.

At least one of them was enjoying himself. The way Liu Kang ate was a marvel in itself. He had a calm dignity to his mannerisms and yet he was filling himself of much of the food in little time at all. He ate rapidly, but cleanly. She almost fell into a sort of trance watching his pale nimble fingers work over the food, tearing the meat into little pieces and pushing them into his mouth where the ruby lips would part and tighten as he chewed. His almond eyes were half-lidded as he reached for his drink, and when he put the gourd up to his mouth his eyes locked on hers casually.

He had certainly healed nicely. His skin was back to a healthy light cream color and his eyes no longer looked dull and glassy. He put the gourd down and smiled easily at Kitana and she felt her stomach flutter at the charming expression directed at her. She turned her head away with the makings of a blush staining her porcelain cheeks.

She was nervous. More so than she was about a year ago when she was chained up and facing the threat of her own execution. She didn't know what would become of the two of them, her and Liu. She wanted to continue this relationship between them, especially since things had calmed down in Outworld.

_But there's no telling how long this peace will last, _she thought to herself. With Ermac in power and Rain on the loose, anything could happen to threaten the safety of the world again. Just thinking of Rain made her knit her thin brows in consternation. She was feeling what she supposed Mileena had felt towards the sorcerer Chi, though to an admittedly lesser degree. She didn't exactly want to kill Rain. Oh, she knew he had a good beating in order but she didn't want him dead. Rain was the son of Edenia's former protector, it was his duty as Argus' youngest to follow in his father's footsteps. He should be working with the monarchy to restore his homeland and keep invaders and hostiles out. Why couldn't he see that?

_Maybe he doesn't know, _she thought idly.

No, that was impossible. It was true, Kahn had them all fooled and brainwashed, but once she learned of her true heritage she had not hesitated to put her life back to rights. Perhaps Rain didn't know his true heritage. Of course he knew he was a demigod, right? He had to know of his father then. Well, not necessarily. He was Argus' bastard son, the youngest and illegitimate one of three. And he was raised by the Resistance. It was possible that Rain didn't know who his father was and what he did for Edenia and consequently what he must do for the country in his father's stead. Kitana frowned.

That was a certainly troubling possibility. Rain most likely knew he was a son of a god but he probably didn't know who in particular birthed him. And if that was the case it was no wonder he had no reservations about betraying his home. Kitana was not ready to give the prince the benefit of the doubt, however. And speaking of that, Rain called himself a prince but he'd never spent two seconds in any Edenian palace since the day he was born. He had no clue how it was true princes behaved and it showed. He was arrogant and selfish and horrible. Life had dealt the both of them rough hands but he had a choice what to make of his life and he made terrible decisions that caused people who cared about him and looked up to him to suffer. Yes, the prince was quite popular in Edenia when he was younger, for he was an elite warrior and also handsome and had an edge due to his affiliations with the Resistance. But those people hadn't registered in Rain's mind at all if his actions spoke for anything. He had crushed and killed the hope that had built him up, he'd stabbed his people in the back. Kitana wanted him to be held accountable for his actions. She didn't just want him to do what's right and protect Edenia and work for the Forces of Light, she wanted him to _want _to do all those things. She wanted to see him beg forgiveness and apologize for all that he'd done to the people. She wanted him to have a change of heart.

And that just wasn't gonna happen, not with Rain. She wouldn't kid herself.

"Penny for your thoughts, princess?" Liu Kang asked softly.

He had finished eating. A good portion of the woven plates lay nearly empty. It was okay, she wasn't in a mood to eat still. Liu had his legs crossed and his hands spread on the ground behind him. He looked contented. The borrowed black pants from one of the villagers fit him well round the waist and only in her mind did Kitana admit her approval of his choice to forgo wearing a vest or shirt of any kind. His upper body sure hadn't suffered too badly from the looks of it. She again almost blushed as she ducked her head down a bit.

"I was just thinking," Kitana said in response to his request.

Liu smiled and nodded. "Ah. I understand."

She wondered if he did. This was where their age difference came into play. Liu Kang was a mature man of his age, which was barely shy of thirty years, and it showed in his loyalty to his realm. Raiden trusted him and on more than one occasion Liu had come through for the good of many people. But when it came to matters of the heart, Kitana couldn't help but feel uncertain. Did he really want this? She knew he wanted her, she'd been around years and years worth of men who wanted her, but she needed to know that Liu was in agreement with her in terms of their budding relationship.

_I better put it out there, _she thought, _we need to talk about this while we have the chance_. She cleared her throat. Liu looked up accordingly. With his eyes suddenly on her she nearly lost her nerve.

"Liu, there's something I want to talk about." she began.

Liu smiled and said encouragingly, "Okay."

She began to fidget. It was an old habit of hers to play with her fingers, twisting them at the nail anxiously when she got nervous. Her long ebony hair fell in its leftward part to cover both her downcast cheeks. She stared into her lap as she continued.

"Well, I'll be going home soon." She trailed ambiguously.

"To Edenia?" He asked.

Kitana nodded. "I want to restore the country and help my people there."

"That's quite noble of you." Liu remarked kindly. "I'm sure you'll succeed. You do still have the essence of Edenia with you, right?"

Kitana nodded. The essence of Edenia, the seed of an extinct native flower whose bloom has the potential to break the mighty curse laid upon the lands of the once beautiful realm. After it was planted, the country would begin flourishing in as little as one or two years.

"You're a sign of hope, Kitana," Liu added, "The people will listen to you. You can lift their spirits. Edenia will rise in no time."

Kitana smiled weakly. She hoped to gods that he'd take the hint but evidently he wasn't getting it. She would have to say it, she'd have to be frank.

"Listen, Liu, I uh." She swallowed, "I want you with me."

_There. I said it. It's done, it's out there, _she thought with an inward sigh of relief.

Liu's smile faded. Now it was his turn to look down at his hands in silence. Kitana's heart plunged and she mistook his reaction for that of subtle aversion.

"Only if you want to be with me," She sort of back-tracked.

Liu Kang sighed quietly and answered, "No, it's not that."

He stared straight into the princess' eyes but didn't hear her breath hitch in her throat as a result of his doing so.

"Kitana, I have a role to fulfill as Earth's champion. Now that Johnny's...now that he's gone the world needs me and the others that much more. I can't neglect my responsibilities."

With each word he spoke Kitana felt herself growing dizzy with disappointment. Her insides felt like molten lead as they absolutely dove in despair. She could feel herself getting fit to cry. Her heart ached all of a sudden, as did the back of her throat. She didn't realize that the news of his turning her offer down would hurt this much. It felt like a bunch of chains and binds were thrown on top of her. She couldn't sit up straight. It took all of her resolve to sit there and pretend like his words hadn't had this kind of effect on her.

_Why should it? Liu isn't upset, _she thought to herself. It was true. Liu didn't seem upset at all. The way he'd answered her was in a strictly matter-of-fact way. He didn't seem broken up like her. If he was, he hid it well.

_I should've thought of his responsibilities, _she continued to reproach herself, _not only that, but Liu might have family and friends here. Who am I to ask him to drop everything and leave? _

"You do understand, right Kitana?" Liu asked her.

Kitana was trembling with the effort of keeping the sadness out of her voice and holding the tears at bay.

"Yes. I do." She answered stiffly.

Liu smiled obliviously, "Good. We'll still keep in touch, by the way. It won't change anything between us."

Kitana could hardly see the truth in that. How could she keep his interest if he was a world away? Who's to say he won't find someone else and move on? And if not that, who's to say he won't lose interest? The age thing came into play once more. She knew that her patience abounded, but what of his? Mortals only lived so long, and it spoke volumes about their fleeting intrigue. But Liu was different, she knew he was.

_If he was different he'd stay with me, _she thought. As soon as she did she felt guilty for thinking like that. She would be understanding and she would work with him. Like he said, they'd keep in touch. She had to trust him.

"You've hardly eaten. Are you sure you're alright?" Liu solicited.

Kitana nodded absently and mumbled some excuse about her still being worked up after the battle the other day. She knew that her stomach wasn't the only thing that needed to adjust to things after today.

* * *

I suppose it could only be expected that the healer's hut was crowded, seeing as the village and its people were still trying to heal in every aspect of the word. People moved in and out of the room steadily, as soon as they were well they'd hobble home or go to help out in their own way down at the square. That was the area that had seen the most action. I had opted to wear a pair of tan tights and a bright red cutoff vest that I'd cinched with a durable length of stringy fabric down the middle. The outfit was another of Nightwolf's. Though I had none of my body showing besides my arms and a bit of my stomach, just about an inch above my navel, he still shook his head at me. He told me it was high time I got some clothes of my own, some appropriate ones at that. Nonetheless, once I was finished dressing Nightwolf herded me out the house and towards Imala's hut. I could hardly see her wizened form for all the people that milled about.

"Nightwolf, is this about the cuts on my back?" I asked, "I told you, I'm good."

Last night Nightwolf had rubbed against me the wrong way and agitated those scratches on my back. Of course, when I nearly cried out at the pain he wanted to see what was the matter and he wasn't pleased. He didn't think it was 'no big deal', but he'd let it go upon my insistence. This morning I think he was bringing it up again.

"No Mileena, this isn't about that. When we return home, however, you'll let me heal those." He spoke without the intention of negotiating.

I shrugged, "Okay. Well, why are we here?"

"I told you, there's someone who would like to see you." He said.

Oh yeah. I figured it must be Elan, that's why I thought we were going to his mother's hut. Now that we were here, I began to fear the worst. He must be hurt. Gods I hope he wasn't injured too bad. If he wanted to see me, though, he must be at least well enough to sit up or talk. I hoped to gods he was okay. I strode hastily past the cots and patients on the floor until I saw him. It was a welcome surprise to see that he was not among the ailing.

The boy had his head down so he didn't see me at first. He was caught up in what he was doing at the moment, which was healing someone. Elan was healing someone. His face was wrought with concentration as he moved his steady hands over the person's back. His hands were surrounded by a faint green glow and the jagged slash across his patients back was fading fast under his ministrations. Elan worked quickly but efficiently. After the scar was completely closed over, he tapped the man's shoulder and helped him to his feet. Just as the newly healed guy was thanking the lanky warrior, I walked over to them.

"Elan?" I called softly.

He turned from the man to me and his face melted into a wide, beautiful smile. He was fine. Absolutely fine. There wasn't a scratch on him and he didn't look sickly or starving or anything. The boy was lucky. This whole village was lucky. They'd dodged a bullet by only having to deal with some of Pasty's army and not the sorcerer himself. I was so glad Paste-Face hadn't been around long enough to fuck with the youngest person I cared about.

"Mileena? You're back!" He exclaimed gladly.

He stepped across a mat and squeezed me in a hug. When he let go he was still smiling. His large eyes were a little hesitant. I sized him up and noticed he'd gotten taller yet. His hair was all the way out of its mohawk style, it was back to hanging down by his shoulders once more. He wasn't dressed for war anymore, I couldn't see any weapons on him save for a slim dagger. The poison and arrows ensemble had been replaced with a roll of tan fabric that served as gauze and another, thinner roll of black string. There were little jars of colored and clear liquid at his feet along with containers of creams and leafy herb substances.

"Are those new?" I gestured with my eyes to his hands.

He looked down at them and they began to lose their green glow. He smiled cutely again and rubbed the back of his elbow. He only had on those mummy-ish tan tights and a cloth round his waist. He pulled a band from around his wrist and tied his hair back at the nape of his neck. A strand fell on each side of his face stubbornly and came to rest against his cheeks.

"Yeah, um. I was gonna tell you earlier." He admitted, "These powers came to me when I was down by the lake that night."

I remembered. "They just came to you?"

"Well I went down to the lake to speak with our ancestors. I um." Elan looked down at his bare feet, "I told them I felt useless and asked them for strength. And they gave me this," He rose both his hands palm-up for emphasis.

"So you're a healer now?" I asked.

He shrugged, "I tried to fight with this power but that's not what it's for. I wanted to be a soldier all this time, I thought it was my purpose and my destiny. But I don't think so anymore."

I tilted my head. "A healer," I mused, "It suits you, Elan."

He smiled. "I like doing this."

I reached forward and stroked his cheek and lifted his chin, "That's good then. I guess I'll see you round. I don't wanna keep you from your work."

Elan nodded, "I'm glad you came home, Mileena."

I carried his words outside the hut with me. That boy was my first friend, the first of many I think. I wasn't so averse to the idea Sonya suggested as I had let on. It couldn't be so bad to get some more allies and maybe another friend, right? She and I had gotten close through these ordeals. I smirked.

This was certainly a turn for the better. Elan being a healer, I mean. I knew that something went down that night at the lake, and now I knew what. It made me hurt for him to know that he'd thought himself to be useless. He wasn't. I'd seen him practice before, he was good at being a warrior, he was a good fighter and he was fiercely protective and loyal to Nightwolf and this village. But being a healer suited his personality more, I believe. He was such a sensitive, compassionate boy in my eyes. It only made sense that he would enjoy making people well again. I was glad for it. Now I had one less thing to worry about with him being off the battlefield.

I dusted my hands on my tights and looked behind me. I couldn't see Nightwolf anywhere. Ah, well. I left the crowded hut and blinked in the bright light of day. It was a little dim inside the healer's tent but out here it was mid-morning. Looking left I saw that Nightwolf was standing, talking to none other than the Prick. He was looking his usual coldly-handsome self what with his armor straps across his chest above his tailored black pants and his slanted blindfold settled into place. I smiled like I always did upon seeing my handiwork. When I got close enough to lock eyes with the immortal he fixed a glare upon his features.

"What were you saying, Tvari?" Nightwolf asked.

He had his back to me but I had no doubt he could sense I had arrived. He paid me no mind, though, and I grinned cheekily at his General. The Prick narrowed his good eyes.

"The mountains have been completely evacuated and our borders are secured, sir." He said crisply, "That is my report, if you need me I'll be at the Southern Edge."

And with another stale glare in my direction he left. He marched really. I laughed to myself. The Prick, he really hasn't warmed up to me much at all. Sure we had our moments, but I did take out his eye and he wasn't ready to let that go. That was fine with me. He had it coming and I wasn't sorry so whatever.

Nightwolf faced me and sighed, "You shouldn't have taken his eye. I'm afraid he'll always resent you."

"You say that like it's a bad thing," I replied.

Nightwolf took my waist and drew me near him. I slid my hand up against the middle of his back and walked with him. We just walked and held onto each other. It was nice.

"The others are leaving today." He said quietly.

I glanced at him, "Who?"

"The other members of the alliance are leaving this afternoon." He repeated. "Would you like to see them off?"

"Why would I?" I asked bluntly.

Then I remembered that I was supposed to be making allies with them. I guess it wouldn't hurt to see them off. It wasn't like I had other plans. And Nightwolf would be doing the same, so. I mean, if these were Nightwolf's friends, chances are they'd be around frequently.

"Hey! Mileena!" I stopped and so did the chief.

Sonya waved amidst a group of people and hurried over to us. She was dressed casually now, she wore a pair of black pants, combat boots, and a white and navy tank top. Her hair was quite long, it fell in blonde waves over her shoulders and down her back. A dark grey military cap was pulled over her eyes and her eyes squinted to make us out against the sun. She pulled her cap lower and stepped next to me.

"Morning, Chief. Got a minute, Mileena?" She asked.

I looked up at Nightwolf and he nodded, then released me. My hip and lower back felt cold suddenly without his arm around them. Sonya gazed at me expectantly so I waved a little to Nightwolf and started walking off with her. She was walking awful close.

I noticed then that with her hair down, Sonya didn't look so severe as she did while it was pulled high up on her head. She still had that intense-ness in her blue eyes so she didn't look totally different. But the change in attire and hairdo softened her, I think. She turned to me and smiled faintly.

"Well it's been a ride, right?" She stated.

I nodded, "Yeah. I guess it has."

"I'm glad you came back." She said.

"Yeah me too." I told her.

There was a very long silence. It was companionable silence that lasted several minutes. We just walked side by side. I didn't ask where we were going, I just let her lead. I was fine with following for now.

After an age, Sonya spoke.

"I was wondering if maybe you were ready to talk now." she sort of asked of me without really asking.

There was a heavy sigh expelled before I answered her. "Um, yeah. Sure. About what though?"

"Everything," She said naturally.

I huffed. "Well I'll need to sit down."

"That's fine. We can sit here," She suggested.

We'd gotten all the way out to the outskirts of the village by now, and she was suggesting we take a seat on the amber plains that waved subtly to and fro in the breeze. I didn't see any harm in that, so I sat with my legs tucked under me. Across from me, Sonya did the same. Now I didn't know where to begin.

"Whenever you're ready," Sonya prompted.

I still didn't speak.

"Did you get what you wanted?" She asked me.

I considered her question, "I don't know."

"I heard you weren't the one to do it." She spoke neutrally.

Though I had no clue how she found that out, I didn't push it. "I wasn't. Scorpion was."

"And how did that make you feel?" She asked cautiously.

I shrugged, "I don't know. I guess the thought of him doing it bothered me, but then after he did it, I didn't. It didn't bother me anymore."

"Why not?" She asked.

"I'm not sure. I think it's cause I didn't want it anymore."

"Didn't want what anymore?"

"My revenge." I stated. "And because I knew that Scorpion deserved it. He deserved to get even with Pasty after all he's went through."

"So what inspired the change in heart?" She inquired.

"I guess it was Nightwolf always telling me there was more to life than getting revenge. Or maybe everything just came crashing down once he was on his knees right in front of me."

"On his knees?" She interjected.

"Yeah, Ermac held him down," I explained blithely. "Once I had the chance to kill him, I just couldn't. And now that he's gone I don't mind that I wasn't the one to take him out. I'm just glad he's gone."

"Come to think of it," I continued thoughtfully, "I'm glad Scorpion got what he wanted. I was so blinded by my own revenge that I didn't realize he had been hurt as well. I mean, his whole clan, his family no doubt, were all killed by Pasty."

Sonya nodded and was about to interject but I kept going. This was a revelation that had just occurred to me and I couldn't stop until I'd let it all out to someone.

"Scorpion hunted Sub-Zero down for all those years, I don't know the details but I worked with the spectre and his obsession with Sub was no secret. Then to find out that he'd killed the wrong guy; that must've hurt like a bitch. I suppose it's a good thing Noob doesn't have the memories from his former life, at least not all of them."

I shrugged, "Well that's in the past, but what I'm saying is, Scorpion lost so much to Pasty and had much more riding on his revenge. It wasn't just for him, it was for his clan and, in some twisted way, for the Sub-Zero that he'd killed as well. He deserved his to finish Paste-Face."

I looked down into my lap, "If anything, Pasty did me a favor in comparison to Scorp. He brought me and Nightwolf together, that's something I'm glad for. The other pain and stuff that I endured because of being human, it made me a better person, it taught me things I didn't know about myself. I wouldn't say I have much to complain about."

Sonya was silent as she mulled over all that I'd said. I wondered if she was a bit ticked at me for not letting her get a word in edgewise.

"Well it sounds like you've changed a lot since when you first came here." she said at last.

"No shit." I muttered in response. "I'm not the same person I used to be."

"Is that good or bad?" She wanted to know.

"Good, I guess. Definitely good." I answered resolutely.

She nodded. "So you're gonna stay here?"

"Yeah."

"Nightwolf is going to take good care of you, Mileena, I can tell. He really loves you." She stated.

I already knew this to be true. "I love him, too."

She smiled. "Good. I'm happy for the both of you."

She looked down into her lap for the first time and there was a lapse in the conversation. I shifted and stretched out my legs.

"And what about you?" I asked. "What will you do now?"

She shrugged, "I don't know. I suppose I'll go report back to base with Jax and then go home."

"Where's home?" I asked.

"I have an apartment." She said.

"Where?"

"New York."

"Is that where we stayed in that huge hotel?"

"That's the place."

"Big city," I mused.

"Hm. It is." she murmured.

"Are you up there by yourself?"

She nodded. "Yeah. I manage though."

"I'll have to come see you." I smirked.

She smiled, "You should."

"Does it get lonely up there?" I asked.

"Yes, ever since..." She sighed.

I watched her look off with her legs now folded and her hands on the grass behind her. I took my fingers and tapped on her kneecap.

"Ever since what?" I whispered.

She looked me in the eyes and said, "Ever since Johnny...since he's gone away."

I frowned. I knew what happened to the poor guy. He didn't survive being hit with Pasty's attack. Sonya had told me as much earlier on in the year. I didn't know that she and he were close.

"He was your..." I trailed.

"Yeah." She answered. "We lived together. We'd just started getting on and then."

Neither of us spoke.

From the despondent look on her face and the declined slope of her shoulders I could tell what that man meant to her; he must've been what Nightwolf is to me. If they were only just starting to get along together I could imagine the pain she had been through and the dull ache she still most likely felt. I can't even begin to think of how much it would hurt me to lose him. Nightwolf was the only person in my eyes who cared about me so strongly. I knew that Elan and Sonya cared about me as well, but he was different. Losing them would hurt, losing him would kill me.

"You are...one tough bitch," I whispered admiringly.

Sonya laughed and nodded to herself, "Thanks. I try."

The lines in her face, beside her eyes and at the edges of her smile softened as her shoulders shook lightly. I could count on one hand without the use of all five fingers how many times I had heard her laugh so genuinely. Even then, I didn't know if it was truly real seeing as I've only known her so long.

She nudged me and said softly, "You ready to get back? I'm sure the chief misses you."

I smiled, "Does he now?"

It was another rhetorical question on my part but again Sonya remarked upon it.

"You wouldn't believe how torn down he's been without you, Mileena." she stated, "He loves you so much, every time you're away it's obvious he's not himself. He just seems. Not there. Like, only his mind and body are present, his heart is miles away, with you of course."

I didn't need confirmation but it served to melt my heart anyway. It was a good feeling, knowing the man cared for me so much and I knew that without him, I felt the very same way. This was love, it had to be. I did agree with her, it was high time I get back to Nightwolf. I wanted to be with him at his side. I allowed her to give me a hand up and after standing I wiped at the back of my tights.

"Your C.O., he's going with you?" I asked her idly.

"Hm?"

I repeated myself and she answered with a nod.

"Yeah, he's got some work at OIA to finish. Just some reports to draw up on all this mess. I suppose I'll be helping him." she said.

We didn't say anything more but the silence was not only companionable this time, it was light and even sort of pleasant. It was like we'd both gotten huge loads off our chests. I know I felt better having at least talked a little with Sonya and the whole way back to the heart of the village she had a smile pulling at her mouth. I couldn't say I would miss all of Nightwolf's comrades, especially not that stuck-up bodyguard of Kitty Kat's, but I'd definitely like to see Sonya again. And her C.O. wasn't so bad. Nor was that cop now that I thought about it. And as for monk-boy, er, Liu Kang and his friend, they were okay I guess.

I didn't hate any of them, so that was a start.

* * *

"Stop pulling at the hem."

"It's too long."

"It's fine, let it be."

"The damn thing is dragging the ground and tripping me the fuck up."

"I'm sure there are other ways for you to have told me that."

"I'm sorry. I'm frustrated. Let's just get this over with."

"Please don't be this short with our guests."

"When did they become _my_ guests?"

"Don't be difficult. Just stay at my side and be silent if you wish, I won't force you to speak to them."

"Hm. Sounds good to me."

With that I enacted my bout of silence that I would carry throughout the rest of the event of seeing the members of the alliance off. Well, what remained of them; Sonya and Jax had already left, as did the officer. Now I was stuck in this silly dress Nightwolf had given me, one that he'd gotten from one of his villagers. It was nice-looking with its light blue hue and red trim and embroiderings, but it was too long. It kept getting caught under my moccasins as I walked slightly behind the chief. After another stumble I growled under my breath and barely refrained from hissing out a curse. Nightwolf stopped walking and turned to me.

"Let me see," he said softly.

I stood fuming and crossed my arms. They were hidden beneath a baby blue shawl that matched the dress and tilted my head. Nightwolf started towards me. He was dressed finely as well. His pants were cinched at the left knee with crimson cloth and there was a multicolored headdress atop his long dark locks. The various stitches were woven seamlessly in and of themselves to create a stunning array of simulated feathers and loops and intricate knots. Interwoven within the black strands of his hair were actual bright plumes and around his neck was that enchanted necklace he always wore. I had yet to take off the one he'd given me. I rubbed it affectionately under the shawl while Nightwolf yet advanced.

When he got to me he dropped into a squat with one knee on the ground. In both hands he gathered up the billowing hem of the dress and hummed in soft thought to himself. He inspected the cloth in his hands and then tuned me around by the waist. Once I was facing away from him, he dropped his hands back to the bottom of the dress. I could hear and feel him rustling around down there.

I huffed, "I don't see why you're going to all this trouble. It's gonna get in my way again."

He didn't respond. I looked over my shoulder: he had pulled a dagger from somewhere and was making adjustments to my garment silently.

"Why do we have to get dressed up anyway? It's not like this is important. It's just a goodbye to your friends." I stated.

Nightwolf finished his work soon after I'd said that. I looked down at my feet and saw that the dress was higher now, it swept just above my ankles as opposed to about a foot behind me. I smiled. I was about to thank him but his actions thereafter rendered me speechless for a moment.

Nightwolf was rising, and as he did so he dragged his hands up from my ankles, over the fabric of the hem and onto my waist. He was still behind me so I didn't see when he pulled me back flush against him. I shivered and bit down on the corner of my lip. Nightwolf leaned his head down over my shoulder and brushed his lips past the outer shell of my ear. My hair was hardly in the way since he'd undergone the task of taming it into an upbraided bun.

"That's hardly true. This is quite important. It's protocol for a chief to welcome and see off his guests and to dress accordingly while doing so." He told me quietly.

I had heard about two words, if that many, out of his whole speech. I could hardly concentrate with him inadvertently blowing in my ear like that. I had forgotten how nice it was to be held, and more importantly how intoxicating that husky voice of his was when he wanted it to be. Nightwolf turned me to face him. I gazed in his eyes, there was a bit of darkness there besides the ebony pools of his irises. I looked to his mouth and the end of it jumped into a smirk.

He knew what he was doing.

The chief inclined his head and pushed those smirking lips onto my own. This wasn't like the few kisses we'd exchanged since I'd returned. Those were sweet and full of his love, but they were also kind of sad. They bore the pain of our separation. This kiss right here, though. It was bad. In a good way. It let me know just what I'd liked about this man. He was dark inside, he couldn't help after Kahn's possession, but it was okay because it wasn't all-consuming. It was just enough so that he'd had an edge, one that I relished. He was forceful in the way he moved over my mouth but not overly so. Just enough to take control and hold it there.

Somewhere in between the second and third time his lips pulled back and descended again onto my own I'd wrapped my arms around his neck. It felt good to have his hair sweeping past my knuckles in this familiar embrace again. It was especially nice to have him just hold me close to his own body. But no, it was more than nice. It was enticing. It was bringing back those feelings. The feelings that he used to invoke when I was here before. That heated tension coiled within me and my eyes clouded with hasty emotion. I closed them but I knew he could see, for that same emotion was mirror in his own eyes as he pulled back for the last time.

"Not now, my love." He whispered.

I made a noise of protest but he only smiled gently. Nightwolf bent down and kissed the very tip of my nose, then my forehead. He smoothed my bangs and dug his fingers under the groove beneath my chin softly.

"Later." he promised.

I pecked at his lips and sighed, "Fine. Let's get this over with."

* * *

**A/N: Hate to cut it off there but I have to, or else it'll be longer but the wait would be more days. I hope you're liking this, it's almost done. In the next chapter we'll see how the guests leave the village and how they part ways with our heroine. Also, there's somewhat of a tragedy coming up, but only if you like the character Rain, lol. Which I do btw :''( **

**Anyway, after the next chapter, I think it'll be over and done for ole Strangled. It's been a good ride. Thanks again a****nd by all means, keep reviewing!**

**Until next time, **

**~DymondGold~ **


	43. Aggrieved

**Thanks for the faves and follows and reviews, bless your hearts; I appreciate your support! **

**Disclaimer: None of the themes/characters/settings belong to me, it's all Netherealm Studios' property along with Ed Boon and his friends John Tobias and John Vogel, among others. I thank them for creating such an awesome game franchise!**

* * *

**Chapter Forty-Three**

* * *

When Nightwolf told me this was an important affair I hadn't quite believed him. Now I saw he'd been telling the truth. I didn't realize it took the entire village to see off a few guests. But then, these weren't ordinary guests and the circumstances they'd arrived under certainly weren't ordinary either. It only made sense that the chief would make a big deal about their leaving now that I thought about it. I still didn't appreciate the fact that this had to be done as opposed to Nightwolf and I spending time together but I wouldn't complain. His friends had really come through for him, it wouldn't be right for them to just be booted out of the village without some kind of ceremony.

The torches were all lit along the Southern Edge's borders. In the dim light they provided I rubbed at my arms and stood behind Nightwolf as he finished his speech. There wasn't much of anything he'd said that interested me but I politely pretended to pay attention. Mostly I just stared. The people he was addressing had to be the villagers or the guests or both. They villagers were at Nightwolf's and my back, while the guests were filed out in front of us. Their faces flickered in the unsteady firelight in the same way I imagined mine to be doing. Finally Nightwolf ceased to speak. He surprised me when he bent over and placed a kiss on my temple before striding from his place in front of me over to the guests. Everyone was moving now so I did, too. Reluctantly.

"Remember, Nightwolf, if you should ever have need of our aid or counsel, you are wholly encouraged to seek either myself or my prince." The Shokan was saying as I walked over.

She and her male counterpart, Goro, were standing near Nightwolf. She was speaking on behalf of her people, I assumed. It was a nice gesture for her to have said that to him, but a part of me refused to truly believe her. I couldn't shake the skepticism just yet. I'd like to believe that they'd stand true to their word for Nightwolf but I wasn't there yet. I didn't have that kind of faith yet.

Nightwolf had told Sheeva something in response; by her reaction I'd say it was something flattering, for she smiled graciously, if not a little tightly. I could tell by her and her silent prince's demeanor that they were itching to be back in their subterranean home with the rest of their brethren. They both nodded a bit at me and I just stood there stiffly. I suppose I should have nodded back but I wasn't used to either of them looking my way. When I worked with the prince and the former jailer, they'd given off an envious aura in reference to my position and status as a favored pawn of Kahn's. Now there was no trace of jealousy in their slitted pupils, just weariness and some relief. They linked hands and teleported away.

Nightwolf ran a hand up my back and down again softly. He didn't say a word but his gesture drove away a bit of the awkwardness. As the villagers milled about and the allies continued to speak amongst themselves before departing, I trailed behind my Chief as close as a shadow and twice as silent. I didn't really get much recognition and that was fine with me. But then we encountered the monk and his friend, the one in the hat.

"Until next time, Nightwolf?" Liu Kang smiled kindly.

Nightwolf nodded and watched the two young Chinese warriors bow respectfully at him. To my surprise they then turned to me. I immediately blushed a little at the sudden attention but I covered my nervousness under a cool mask of indifference. For good measure I quirked a brow inquisitively.

"Mileena, I know I've said it before, but thank you." Liu Kang said humbly.

I stared at him blankly. "Yeah, whatever monk boy."

Nightwolf made a soft sound of displeasure next to me and I huffed to myself.

"I mean, you're welcome. Liu Kang." I revised.

His friend was chuckling at my earlier reply. "Monk boy?"

Liu gave him a slightly dirty look that was lined with mirth.

"Good luck to the both of you," his friend said with a sly wink and a tilt of his bladed hat towards me.

I looked up to see Nightwolf sharing a private smirk with the younger man. Liu Kang and I weren't exactly privy to what that amused look entailed.

At that moment there was a bit of tension as the bodyguard stepped over to us. I knew it was because I was present. The cloaked woman spoke quite warmly and amicably to the other members of the alliance, I had heard them all getting on so well at times. But now that I was standing here, her entire frame was taut with stiff formality. She exchanged words with the two friends and with Nightwolf, and when her light eyes slid over to me I tensed. Not out of fear but out of anticipation. We had never really come to any congenial terms. I braced myself for a harsh word. Nightwolf's hand on my lower back was the only thing that kept me from snapping at her first.

Whatever she was about to say to me remained within because in the next moment someone else joined our small party. It was the princess, my twin. She looked sort of flustered. Like her bodyguard, she donned that rich black cloak that covered her fully and her hood was drawn. Shiny locks of hair tumbled from the cowl though and slapped lightly against her cheeks as she made her way over to us. Her eyes were darting between each person until they finally settled upon my own. She beamed and headed straight for me. This time, I was prepared for her hug. But I didn't exactly embrace her back, not all the way. It was _weird_. Not entirely unpleasant, but still weird.

I pushed gently on her shoulders and said, "Alright Kitty Kat, that's enough of that."

She retreated but kept a hold on my arms. Her smile was brilliant as she regarded me. I didn't understand her. She was even clingier than last time. I knew she had a forgiving streak, I'd found that out after the last meeting I had with her, but this was almost too much. She was making me uncomfortable with the way she smiled so...honestly down at me. It was one that rivaled Elan's in how sweet it was. I twitched my lips quickly in a parody of her own expression and she grinned harder.

"I hope this isn't the last I see of you, Mileena." She spoke.

I said, "Hm."

She shook her head lightly, "I will do my best to come and see you. Or you could see me. I'll be in Edenia, you know. You remember the realm?"

I nodded but then frowned. "Kitty...what's wrong?"

I hadn't spoken too loudly as I didn't want the others to hear. At that question the princess' smile faltered. So there _was _something bothering her. I got an inkling of her unease in the way that her eyes glimmered anxiously. Also, the way she was talking was kind of a giveaway; she was talking faster than she normally did and in a pitch or two higher a tone. The sweet civility behind her words was kind of forced. Now that the brightness was wiped from her features, her sadness was clear to see. She didn't answer me though. I stepped to the side and she followed.

"What is it?" I asked, "You're not gonna cry are you?"

She looked like she would. But instead she replied, "No, it's nothing I can't handle. Just a little disappointment."

I wouldn't push her. I didn't feel as if I had the right to pry. It wasn't as if we were close. _But we could be, _I thought idly. Well that was true. But closeness wouldn't come in one night. That happened over time. At least I had a good bit of that now that the war was over. Maybe there would come a time where Kitty and I would be something like friends, or. Should I even say. _Sisters._ Such a strange concept really.

"What about you?" She asked me.

Absently I blinked, "Huh?"

"What about you, Mileena? Are you well?" She inquired.

I nodded. "Yeah I'm okay."

I noticed her gaze shifted from me over to that monk, Liu Kang. _Click! _That was all it took for me to put two and two together. So it was that monk that had her out of sorts. I wonder why, though. Last time I saw them, they were getting on pretty well. I was sort of curious but I wouldn't pry. Like I said, we weren't that close. Yet.

"As I said, Mileena, don't be a stranger." Kitty stated, "Wherever I make my home, you'll be welcome."

"Um, alright." I responded.

I knew it was coming. Kitty had that soppish watery smile on her face right before she did it again. She leaned in and gave me a squeeze. But you know, the more she did that, the more I found I could stand the embrace. It wasn't so different from the way Elan and I greeted each other, after all. Hesitantly I closed my arms around her back and felt her tighten her hold. She released me and stepped back. With her slim hand she stroked my cheek.

"I'm proud of you," she whispered, "You've come so far."

I didn't respond. The hell if I knew what to say to something like that. I think her soppish, mushy wet-eyedness was spreading over to me. I scowled for a second.

"I'll see you another time then." She said quietly.

I put my own hand atop hers on my cheek and gripped her fingers for a split second before jerking my hand back down awkwardly at my side. She let go of me and gave me a compassionate look. Then she turned and joined her bodyguard. But not before saying a few words to the monk. I stepped closer to hear what was said, hoping it'd clue me in to her dilemma.

"Liu, I." she stopped, then shook her head and walked off.

Well that only left Liu Kang a tad confused and I as well. But I wouldn't concern myself with her love life. Not when I had one of my own. I grinned briefly to myself and made my way over to Nightwolf. Very soon we would be together at last, with no more interruptions and no more guests and no more remnants of war to deal with. Life would progress at our own pace, without the urgency of attacks and subterfuge. That same excited feeling washed over me at the prospect of finally being able to actually live in relative peace with the man I loved. I looked at the ground and blew out a breath dizzily. It was almost too good to be true.

* * *

The sensation had been building up inside her for the past few days, and now it had gotten to be too much. Being back home, in a home that was so familiar but at the same time so irrevocably changed, had been a sobering experience for Kitana. All the feelings she'd bottled inside after departing with Jade had finally gotten the better of her. It hadn't been easy to let out the tears, gods know she tried her hardest to keep them within but she could only stave them for so long. She had tried fruitlessly to pass her first week busying herself away from the pain and for the first week it sort of worked. She had returned to a neglected castle, so there was much to be done in terms of cleaning it up. The monk was right, Kitana's presence had an effect on the damaged populous of Edenia and it was no hard task recruiting help to right the place. Still, the majority of the realm lay in shambles, and had for so long, so it would take more than the return of their beloved princess to make things right again. She had gotten the palace back up to its former glory thanks to Jade and some other loyal citizens around the kingdom. With the polished floors shining, the halls lit, the dust and grime chased from the corners and walls and the entire place being staffed again, things were starting to look like home.

But it wasn't enough.

Kitana couldn't pretend that she wasn't grieving in her own way over the death of her budding relationship with Liu Kang, the beautiful potential relationship that had been unwittingly cut down in its prime by the well-meaning monk. She put on a brave face day in and day out as she rallied the spirits of her people and coaxed them out of hiding but she hardly had any impetus to smile and laugh on her own. They never knew any better as she held that firm facade in place while she restored her home little by little. It was a shame they didn't know their princess was so down, for the citizens may have been despondent and a bit hopeless, but they would have surely done their best to console her in their own way. As it was, they were just getting out of the rut Shao Kahn's reign had put them in. That was the good thing about the rut lasting til now; as broken and ravaged and torn down as they were, Edenia and her people were hardly a target for Quan Chi's wrath. Now the war was over and the people were slowly coming out of the shadows they'd been forced to hide in. For once, their bleak situation had been graced by a glimmer of hope. No longer would they have to forage for food and abandon their neighbors, family, and all sense of community. The princess was their beacon, she was the light that guided them day by day into a new age of healing and restoration. The Essence of Edenia had already been planted, and subtle signs were showing through the blackened soil. Progress would be slow in coming but it would come. With the palace freshened up and eagerly staffed, and the kingdom steadily being rebuilt, all was looking up.

Except for the princess; in private her head was most always bowed.

Like right now for instance. It was down so low all she could make out was the billowing hem of her dark navy dress as it floated over her unseen black heels. They clicked loudly as she watched the ground. The floors were a gleaming white marble. _They haven't gleamed like that in centuries_, she thought, _the new staff members certainly are zealous cleaners_.

"Princess!" someone shouted.

Kitana stopped short in her tracks. The loud clanging had startled her more than the hurried voice that preceded the crash. She held one of her hands to her heart as if to get a hold on her suddenly racing organ. The person who had cried out was now on their knees in front of her. It was a young man, humbly dressed in nothing more than a pair of well-altered rags. He had a silver tray on the floor beside him as he stooped to pick up its apparently spilled contents. There was juice and fruit and a couple of rolls as well as silverware scattered along her path. Kitana felt immediate chagrin as she, too, bent to help him.

He turned his head cast his muddy green eyes up at her, "No, Princess, I'll take care of this. You aren't harmed, are you?"

"Of course not. Here let me help," Kitana insisted.

The young man shook his head adamantly, "If I may say, Majesty, it's my fault. I wasn't watching where I was going."

Kitana was about to protest once more but someone's heels clicked smartly over to the kneeling pair. It was Jade. She offered her princess a hand with a pointed look. Kitana looked down at the young man again, who was going about his work with a look of determination upon his face, and sighed. She took Jade's proffered hand and stood up again. She made sure to thank the boy as they passed around him.

"What is it, Jade?" Kitana asked absently.

"Follow me." the darker skinned woman instructed.

Kitana trailed in her bodyguard's wake and soon came to a long corridor. It was empty, a rare occurrence now that the princess was back and the palace was refurbished. Jade turned on her friend with a concerned gaze. Kitana looked up at her confusedly.

Jade said, "What's wrong?"

Kitana opened her mouth but Jade held up a gloved hand. "Don't say it's nothing, Kitana."

Having been thwarted out of using her more common response to the frequent question, Kitana quieted. She had her long black hair down today, she had hardly been in the mood to do anything special with it while in private. For public appearances, though, she took care to pin it up prettily or tie it in a tail when she felt like training. It served to congeal her cheeks at the moment as she dipped her head forward. She didn't want to talk about what was bothering her, not with Jade. They were old friends, but from the start Jade had been wary of her relationship with Liu Kang. She didn't need an 'I told you so', though she doubted the guard would do that being as averse to the idea of taunting her friend as Jade was.

Kitana paused to give the impression of thoughtfulness and sighed as if in capitulation. She knew she was putting on an act and hated to deceive her friend but she couldn't bring herself to admit the cause of her despondence. She gazed wearily at Jade, that was hardly faked, and she smile forcibly.

"I've just been tired. Being back home, it reminds me of old times," Kitana claimed, "I haven't been resting as well as I should. With the demands placed on me I can hardly find the time."

Jade seemed to buy the excuse. She rolled her eyes exasperatedly and wrapped an arm around her royal. With her in the lead, the pair began to walk out of the corridor. That was when Kitana knew she had bought it.

"Kitana I told you not to burn yourself out," Jade scolded, "I know you want to help bring this country and its people happiness, but what good can you do for them if you don't take care of yourself?"

The princess endured her chiding as long as it kept her other prying inquiries at bay. She nodded here and there but wasn't really listening. She gazed curiously at Jade when they stopped at the master bedroom suite and the guard sported an expectant look.

"Excuse me?" Kitana asked meekly.

Jade smiled ruefully, "I'll take that as a yes. I asked if you would like to sleep a little more before you took your morning meal."

"Oh. Yes. I'll sleep." Kitana stated distractedly.

Jade noticed as much but accounted it towards the princess' weary state of mind and body. She gave her friend a squeeze on the arm and a kind smile.

"I'll see you when you wake. Meet me in the courtyard if you're up before noon." She said as she departed.

Kitana nodded but doubted she'd be up to doing so. She needed to be alone.

As she ducked inside her old room she closed and locked the heavy wooden door and turned around, then abruptly let out a very un-princessy squeak of surprise. She had good reason to be alarmed, for sitting on her bed was none other than the cause of her distress. He had his shoes tucked neatly beside the door where the princess stood and was sitting neatly atop the spreads of Kitana's sheets with his legs folded and his hands in his lap. As soon as she had entered the room, his almond eyes had fluttered open and his ruby lips stretched insecurely in a smile. He braced his palms against the mattress hesitantly, bracing his body to rise. He didn't know whether his presence was well received or not and was prepared to stand and leave should it come to that. His black pants and loose t-shirt were obviously his own, they fit him as if they were made for his body alone.

"What. What are you doing here?" Kitana whispered, then revised, "I mean, I thought you were staying in Earthrealm?"

The man on the bed rose fully now and approached the stunned princess. He smiled disarmingly and Kitana's racing heart sprinted even faster. She stood frozen as he strode over to her and placed his hands over the caps of her shoulders.

"I was. I just left my home. But I won't stay there." He replied.

She blinked. She couldn't believe it was really him, in the flesh, holding her. Had he _not_ been holding her she might have chalked the startling experience up to some kind of fantastic hallucination. But it wasn't. He was really here. What she wanted to know was...

"Why?" she breathed.

He beamed down at her and let his hands drop to her waist. The silk material rustled under his touch but it quivered not nearly as bad as her full lips did once he had lowered his grinning lips down onto her own. He moved softly against her mouth and applied just enough pressure to make her head spin. When he pulled back from that sweet kiss she could hardly see straight. This was all too much.

"You're my princess, Kitana. My place is with you," He murmured before descending once again towards her mouth.

Once she was able to catch her breath, Kitana asked, "But what about your responsibilities?"

"I can be Earthrealm's champion from afar. The OIA and of course, Raiden, will alert me if there's trouble. They know where I am." his answer was punctuated at random with little pecks to her lips, neck, and cheeks.

Kitana barely got out her next question, "And what, what of your friends and f-family?"

Liu chuckled against her neck and said, "Kung Lao is all I have left. He and I will most definitely stay in touch."

"Don't worry, Kitana. I'm here to stay. I'm sorry I didn't come sooner." He apologized. "But I'm here now, and I'm here to stay."

_Here to stay. _

Here to _stay. _He was _here_, with _her, _and he wasn't going to leave.

It was with a smile of ecstasy and pure elation that Kitana lost herself in his embrace. She couldn't help it, her dream had come true, as cliche as it sounded. She now had her love with her. This new change in plans bolstered her resolve. Now she truly felt like things would be okay.

* * *

_Damn that bitch to hell! _

It was the only competent thought running through his mind other than that of his desperate, racing desire for release. He absolutely loathed himself at the moment, and that wouldn't do, so he redirected his self-loathing at the only other person inadvertently involved: _her_. She had been a thorn in his side since he first met her. First she was the damn favorite of Kahn which made him compete for the emperor's attention, then she had to go and toss him out of Chi's good graces when she escaped death at his hand the night she was cursed, and now, _now, _she had truly done her worst. She was plaguing his mind with her whorish body. He couldn't get her out of his head. By now he had deduced that this all started that night at the hotel, it had to have started there. That fateful night she had donned that scandalous red silk robe and nothing else. The image had stuck with him and caused problems for him ever since. Now, he was getting fed up. Waking up as hard as the emerald amulet around his neck had long since gotten old. He was tired of it always being _her _that made him like this.

_Damn bitch! _

He swore again in his head as that was the only other logical thought to breath the pleasure-addled haze that was his mind at the moment. He panted shallowly under the warm spray of the facility shower Chi had installed in the run-down lair. It wasn't the finest bathing chamber but it had to do. Originally when he awoke in the familiar predicament of his body sweaty and alert, he had planned to take one of the most frigid showers he possibly could. But as he angrily tore through the empty lair his thoughts were assaulted with images of that. That lowly bitch. And they kept assaulting him even now, after having been standing amidst the harsh downpour for some time now. His body still remained painfully aroused.

He couldn't make it go away, that heady desire. He shut his eyes tightly but that only made it worse. Behind his eyelids he could see her slim body beneath his, contorted to accommodate his own above her. He could see clearly her tawny skin glistening with sweat and writhing sensuously. On his back he swore he could feel her fingertips, her short nails raking down his skin. Her legs were tightened round his hips and her kiss-swollen lips were parted and moved desperately against his own.

_Evil little b__itch__! _

He wrenched his eyes open and blinked rapidly against the pelts of water that stung at them. He dropped his gaze down to his hardened length once more and scowled with a deep-seated hatred. He knew what he had to do, and he loathed to do it. Were he the king that he should be by now, he would have willing women to do this for him. Hell, if he had the time, he was sure he could find an all too willing participant ready to please him at a moment's notice. He didn't doubt his charm would fail him, especially not if he were to pick from the lot of unsavory mortal women of Earthrealm. However, he didn't have the luxury of time and would have to get rid of this himself. He grit his teeth once more. _Filthy fucking whore, she'll pay for this! _

He gripped himself roughly and threw his head back as he once again closed his eyes. Even more harshly he jerked and pulled at himself. Even with his hatred peaking new highs, he was unable to keep the dark eyes from his mind, nor was he able to block out the sounds of her shallow, lust-riddled breathing and throaty moans. The vision of her soaking wet body was too real, those noises she made as he ground into her were too real, it was all too real. He collapsed to his knees but kept one hand between his legs and the other against the cold tiled wall for support. He could feel it; no longer was it his own fingers clenching himself, instead he imagined it to be her tight, wet walls.

That was his undoing.

He shuddered as the last of his desire, coupled with the steaming hot water, washed over him. He was panting heavily and was completely bent over. His open mouth caught locks of his dark tendrils of hair as he breathed. He had his neck craned over the circular grated drain. Blankly he stared on his knees until the pleasure left him. Then came the rage. He hated this. He hated _her_. He was an elite warrior and a prince; she was filth, nasty fucking filth and yet he had just.

He squeezed his eyes shut and grimaced. He couldn't even own up to what he had just done, not even to himself. His grimace darkened though. _Damn that bitch for doing this to me, _he thought irrationally, _Damn her! _He vowed to kill her the next time he saw her. He didn't have time for this. He had plans and goals for the rest of his life, none of which included her. He had to stay focused. He was very close to getting what he wanted and he'd be damned if he let her get in his way.

* * *

**A/N: Short chapter again, but I find that if I do a couple of short chapters, it'll help with the updates. Otherwise, the chapter will be long but the update will be days away. The next chapter will be mildly graphic in nature, um, kinda dark. It'll be tied in with the epilogue. **

**Do you guys want a sequel to Strangled? It'll be centered on Sonya/Shang Tsung and it will follow the events of Mileena/Nightwolf and Kitana/Liu Kang. It will be possibly more darker than this (for torture and sexual situations among other things) and it'll be compatible with this story. So would you like that? Let me know and I'll do it...**

**Anyway, keep reviewing as per usual and you'll hear from me soon!**

**~DymondGold~**


	44. Broken

**The last chapter. Like I said, it's been fun, stay tuned for the sequel and thanks for all your kindness and reviews! I appreciate it and you'll be hearing from me soon! **

**Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: None of the themes/characters/settings belong to me, it's all Netherealm Studios' property along with Ed Boon and his friends ****John Tobias and John Vogel.**

* * *

**Chapter Forty-Four**

* * *

The trap had been lain and the target acquired. All that was left for them to do was wait for the hapless victim to come ambling through. As of late they had been able to do more with their telepathy. Not only were they able to lock onto the frequency path of their victim's thoughts, but they could do so from another realm away. Ermac had the weighty amulet round his neck to thank. With it their powers had been augmented to incredible heights. They could feel the spellbinding magic within themselves, working in conjunction with their telekinesis to give them a new, powerful edge. Under normal circumstances, they wouldn't dare tamper with the amulet, no matter how alluring the benefits were to the wearer. But today they would need that extra boost to ensure their victim did not stand a chance of slipping away. Speaking of their victim.

Ermac scoffed. _He's at it again, _they thought to themselves. They sat with their legs crossed atop a large stone remnant of a fallen statue of the previous empress. With their eyes closed Ermac concentrated on the thoughts of their victim, which were lewd enough in and of themselves. Not only could they see the thoughts of the prince, but they could see snippets of their point of view as well. With that, the host could clearly ascertain that Rain was in Chi's lair in Edenia. More specifically he was emerging from the showers with a curse fresh on his lips. Again Ermac made a noise of disdain. They failed to see how the demigod couldn't reign in his emotions concerning his former partner. It wasn't as if the prince hadn't had trysts and lovers in the past centuries. Ermac couldn't fault him too much, though, seeing as they too desired the young woman as well. Albeit not nearly for the same reasons as Rain. Ermac saw in her great potential; they wanted to possess that beautiful machination that was her mind and use it, along with her ruthlessness, stealth, and combat prowess, for their own gain.

Ermac sighed. It really was a shame she refused them. They had not been lying when they told her she'd make a fine empress of Outworld. She was, after all, a vision of cunning, malicious beauty that the very-much-a-male part of them could appreciate. But unlike Rain, Ermac wasn't dense enough to waste their time lusting after a claimed prize; she did belong to the shaman now. It was her choice to stay with him in that village. A part of the host felt she deserved the tame respite after all she'd endured. Some quiet was due her now that she'd decided to turn a new leaf.

"Where the hell is it?!"

The telepath straightened their back and opened their eyes: the target had arrived and was making himself known. Ermac had to scoff because, although Rain had been around for centuries, he was once again letting his anger and frustration get the better of him. If he would have just kept his cool and remained silent, Ermac wouldn't have noticed him get so close. But as that was a completely hypothetical conjecture, Ermac gave it no more thought. The day Rain gained complete control over his emotions would be far in coming.

Ermac watched the prince stomp around the desert with an air that bordered on petulance and shook their head. It was no wonder the demigod found himself in pressing situations. He was so reckless. So careless. Overconfident. Rash. Impetuous. It was obvious from his behavior that the prince was looking for the original amulet, which was currently in the host's possession. There was no doubt that, with the limits of their abilities having been heightened, Ermac could influence the prince's mind and have him truly believe he was alone in the desert, rendering themselves veritably invisible. But no. Ermac did no such thing. They only sat atop the head of the old statue some miles away and waited for the royal to take note of them.

After a while of enduring Rain's obliviousness, Ermac could wait no longer.

The prince was so wrapped up in chasing the amulet he had dashed aside what little common sense he possessed in his haste to obtain it. Rain could sense that it was near, but instead of looking up when he approached the base of the same piece of debris that played seat to the host, Rain looked down into the sand. He fell to his knees and began clawing a hole into the soft ground with fervor. Apparently he thought the jewel to be buried. Ermac could only sigh disappointingly though they had no clue why they'd placed even that much hope in demigod.

By now the prince's greed was rolling off of him and permeating his psyche in thick, roiling waves. It was stifling to the host, to say the least. With a grimace Ermac stood and decided to make themselves known at last.

_**It's high time you got what you deserved, you spoilt little fuck**_

Rain whipped his head up and saw, finally, the figure above him. Ermac hadn't taken much care into their appearance. They wore those same burgundy robes of leather that fit loosely over their legs and tight around the chest and torso. Their entire masked face was hidden beneath the cowl of their hood save for their bright eyes. Those eyes were narrowed calculatingly at the moment, they were observing their opponent. No, their victim. Rain would stand no chance. By the look on his handsome face, the royal knew this as well, so when Ermac began advancing towards him he got that familiar look in his eyes.

Ermac knew that look well, they'd encountered it in several instances from being in a partnership with the demigod and from facing off with him countless times. It was a mix of fear, of intense anxiety, and of desperation. It was like looking into the eyes of a little boy who's been caught pulling the cat's tail: Rain was thinking of making a run for it.

**"Not this time," **Ermac said with a cruel chuckle.

With the use of the amulet they assaulted Rain's mind in a fraction of a second. In that short time, Rain's mind went haywire. He felt as if he'd been hit in the back of his head by the force behind Ermac's attack. The sheer power was enough to blacken his eyesight completely for a few seconds. It startled the prince and caused him to still.

_The fuck was that? _He could only wonder as he blinked furtively. When he was able to see once more he found that Ermac had not moved.

_Why isn't he coming at me? _Rain wondered. _Oh well, I'll think about this later. I have to get away. I'm not ready to take him on yet. _

Rain concentrated on teleporting but was surprised when his body disobeyed him. He couldn't do it. He couldn't focus. Rain growled frustratedly and noticed that Ermac still hadn't moved from where they stood. It was unnerving, and so was the fact that his mind was out of sorts. Rain tried again to focus on leaving, he thought of a place far from the desert. _That hotel would be nice_, he thought, _it's big and clean. Sort of like a dull palace. It would suit my needs until I can get to the amulet. _

It didn't work, though.

For all his efforts, he was not in the ritzy hotel on the corner of a New York avenue, he was still in the desert. With Ermac. Who had _still _not moved. In fact, it looked like the host had backed up some. Rain began to panic. He knew he was panicking and he couldn't do anything to stop it. How could he? His heart was the most prominent channel of his anxiety, it was pounding fiercely away in his chest. Then there was his mind. All his thoughts were frenetic and frenzied like never before. This wasn't an average case of racing thoughts. This was something more.

"You're. You're messing with my head!" Rain accused.

He pushed at his temples but couldn't get himself to just concentrate on honing himself the hell out of there. It was scaring him. Ermac noticed, for Rain had a habit of sometimes wearing his emotions plainly on his face. It made the host laugh, which confirmed Rain's suspicion's of being on the receiving end of his latest attack. Rain gave up on the idea of being able to teleport at the moment and just ran.

_This shit better not be permanent, _he thought worriedly as he sprinted away.

Ermac just let him run. He was in the middle of the damn desert, he had nowhere to go. Slowly Ermac walked after him. Rain stopped a good distance away and turned to face the host, who was approaching him lazily. Rain was breathing heavily not from exertion but from wild-eyed fear. He hadn't ever been in this situation. He had felt trapped like this. Ermac had forced his hand, he couldn't get away, he had no choice but to stay and fight and so he would. He lifted his hands out in front of him and frowned as he saw them shaking but that couldn't be helped. He tried to push forth a blast of water directly at the malevolent host.

He could not do so.

It was that same, staggering blow to the back of his head that sent his mind reeling once more. The blindness was jarring but after it passed its effects were even more so. Though Ermac was still once more, Rain could do them no harm. He couldn't center himself enough to harness his element properly because Ermac was doing that thing again, the one where they dug around in his mind and tossed shit around. It was disorienting him to the point where he could barely think straight. He couldn't even remember what it was he was just doing. He could see Ermac ahead of him but that was all his brain was registering. His stomach clenched and an uneasy, queasiness crept through his body. The feeling was like having feathers swarming through his insides. It was disconcerting but there wasn't a thing about his quickly escalating situation that wasn't so. Rain tried so very hard, harder than he ever did to use his powers but for once they weren't totally at his command. He could feel his will snapping. He was giving the order mentally for his powers to come to his aid but Ermac, they were taking those orders and twisting them, manipulating them against him so that the only fruit of Rain's intense labor was a pair of soaking wet hands and a cold sweat all over his body.

"_Stop_ _it!_" Rain shouted.

Ermac barked out a laugh and lumbered forward languidly. Rain was unabashed in his attempt to back away from the host quickly. His pride had abandoned him in his haste to get away. He still tried his powers, but not the water. That one he forced himself to give up on for the time being.

_Please don't let this be permanent, _he silently prayed.

Ermac was relishing in the expression painted on the royal's features; it was one to be likened to that of a scared rabbit cornered by a grinning fox. Oh, how good it felt to see the little bitch squirm. They let the laughter flow freely at Rain's expense. Said royal screamed suddenly.

Rain had attempted to bring a ribbon of lightening down onto Ermac's head but the path of the electricity had been fiddled with and it skewed in the prince's direction instead. Being the agile warrior he was, Rain was able to dodge the streak by mere meters. But not without sustaining a severe burn to his forearm. After screaming bloody murder Rain scrambled backwards away from the light and coughed out the sand that had been blown in his face. He rolled onto his stomach and pushed himself to his knees. He hissed as his skin sizzled and smoked but sat back on his heels and cradled his wounded arm to his chest.

"_Bastard!_" He cried passionately.

Rain knew better than to try and use his powers once more.

_Whatever Ermac did to me fucked me up bad. I can't even think straight._

_Can't even._

_Can't think __even to__._

_Can't straight see my. _

_I can't. _

_Can't. _

"Shit!" Rain groaned.

He fought against Ermac with all that was in him but he knew he was fighting a losing battle. His mind was descending into a chaotic mess of jumbled thoughts and there wasn't anything he could do to stop it, only slow the inevitable progression of its demise. He gripped his head with unsteady hands but it did him no good. There was a tangled knot in the pit of his stomach that came with the knowledge of not being able to utilize his powers to defend himself and thus not being able to escape. Never had he been at such a disadvantage. Never had he been rendered so powerless before.

Again Rain clambered to his feet and tried to run. He didn't quite care where he was going, he just wanted to get far from Ermac. Perhaps then this craziness would stop and his head would be clear and he'd be able to think, to fucking think again.

**"There's nowhere for you to go," **Ermac called out slowly so that the words would register with the currently addle-minded demigod.

As an added effect, Ermac shot out their hand and a faint glow emanated from their palm. The same glow coiled around Rain's slim brown boot and sliced through the leather fabric through to his skin beneath. Effortlessly Ermac used the misty rope to snap the bone their. Rain tumbled to the ground with a barely suppressed grunt. It would seem there was a benefit to his clouded mind; he didn't feel the full brunt of his ankle snapping.

**"That won't do," **Ermac murmured quietly.

They stalked towards the prince and futilely Rain tried to crawl backwards on his hands away from the host. His efforts were sloppy, he was losing his hold on reality fast. Ermac knew they couldn't keep this up or else the prince's resolve would be done for and that wasn't what they wanted. Not at all. They didn't want Rain to have such an easy escape. The pain had yet to begin, after all.

The royal was shaking when Ermac reached him. He was trying to hide it but was failing. Ermac smirked and loomed over him. Rain had nowhere to go. He was trapped now. His ankle was useless, his powers were inaccessible, and his greatest enemy was only inches away from him. He was scared. Ermac loved it. It was beautiful to him, that fear. They had to get a closer look. Ermac reached down towards Rain's head and the prince winced in anticipation of what he thought was a blow.

But none came.

He was surprised to feel Ermac retreat from his mind and at once his sanity came to him. The bleakness faded from his eyes as he struggled to his knees and thought to run once more. Ermac was already ahead of him. They used one hand to force Rain back to his knees and with their other one they gripped the prince's chin. That was better; now Ermac had a good view of the conflicting emotions set on Rain's face. Painted all over his features was genuine fear, coupled with apprehension. He was at Ermac's mercy and he was well aware of it now that his mind was no longer clouded. Ermac removed their hand from Rain's shoulder and let it hang threateningly in the air clenched in the form of a fist. It had the desired effect of filling Rain's dark eyes with that delicious terror. With his head tilted back and that branch of fear swimming in painted across his face, he looked quite young and vulnerable.

"You look like a **damn girl**,"Ermac murmured**.**

They pushed back Rain's bangs from their plastered position against his cheeks so that the hair joined the rest of the thick, silky follicles behind his ears. The prince shivered in revulsion at the host's mocking words. He didn't even have it in him to retort. He was scared, it was true. He hated it.

"What do you want?" Rain asked in a controlled, embittered voice.

Ermac smirked and leaned in close to the royal's face, **"...You already know what we want."**

They surrounded Rain in a green aura that prevented any sort of movement at all. Then they stood slowly and circled him, much to his unease. Crouching down behind him Ermac leaned forward and brushed their knuckles against his smooth cheek. To their mild surprise and immense pleasure, Rain's eyes widened in some kind of comprehension and then they grew wet and wild with a new, deeper kind of fear. He struggled against the telekinesis with renewed fervor. Ermac was curious to see the change, and had no inhibitions about sifting through Rain's unguarded mind until they found the source of those fresh tears.

It would seem this wasn't the first time the prince had been in this position. Ermac raided his mind and saw that the memories at the forefront were littered with decrepit details of painful encounters that transpired in the royal's youth. Not an ounce of pity rose within Ermac at all after having discovered such memories. They tucked them away for later use, seeing as they would surely come in handy in terms of leverage.

"What do you want from me?" Rain repeated in a voice thick with bridled fear.

Ermac smirked, **"Don't like to be touched, Princess?" **

They laid their hand on the area in between Rain's shoulder blades. Through the fabric of his shirt Rain's muscles tensed and in the empty desert the host could hear the prince's breath hitch tightly. Oh, yes. There was lots of room for _that_ kind of fear to be exploited. It was interesting what one discovered while rooting through a person's mind. The supposed incidents happened in Rain's youth, and yet they were haunting him now. Stealing away the arrogance and narcissism that usually loitered among the prince's countenance. Interesting indeed.

Rain blinked furiously against the moisture threatening to fall from his lashes and narrowed his eyes. He felt violated that Ermac had delved into his mind and stolen a look at some of his most private memories. It wasn't that the events that took place were of any particular importance to him now, or at least that was what he kept telling himself, it was just the principle of the matter. _He has no right to do that to me, _Rain thought indignantly_, He has no fucking right_!

"What do you want?!" the prince now yelled.

Ermac finally came from behind him and squatted across from the kneeling demigod. They wore a vicious smirk that contrasted sharply with the gentleness with which they mockingly stroked the prince's chin. Rain stubbornly turned his face away but Ermac roughly turned it towards themselves again.

**"To see. You. Suffer," **They answered in a malign hiss.

At those words Rain's face fell. He could've sworn the ground dropped out from beneath him, that's what it felt like. He was alone and powerless and this madman wanted to see him suffer. _Apparently, _he thought_, Ermac isn't happy with just fucking with my head. Now he's gonna kill me and I've got nowhere to go._ Then Rain realized; Ermac has it, the bastard had what he was looking for! All this time. _He has the real amulet, now I'm definitely fucked, _the prince thought in dismay. But he couldn't give up. If he could just get away.

From the looks of it, Ermac was done playing games. They'd backed up again and Rain knew that when Ermac put in distance it meant they were getting serious. It wasn't fair! The whole injustice of it all was eating away at him. For so long he'd pined after that amulet and now Ermac had taken it from him. It wasn't fair! That amulet was his! It belonged to him! Rain used his outrage as impetus for his plans and accused Ermac outright.

"Just didn't have it in you to fight fair, did you?" He snarled.

Ermac said nothing.

Rain scooted back subtly and continued, "That amulet you got is mine!"

**"You're not worthy of this power," **Ermac sneered.

Rain frowned, "Yes I am!"

Ermac could see that the prince was trying to stall but they couldn't help rising to the bait. Besides, Rain already lost sight of his plans and was gaining a whole-hearted contempt for the host once more. Once Rain got passionate enough, he lost control over himself and the upper hand he deluded himself into thinking he was starting to gain over the situation. Ermac shook their head.

**"You wouldn't be able to handle it," **They predicted.

Rain was about to fire off another rebuttal but stopped as he recalled those same words being told to him during his days serving the Resistance. They refused to let him lead, they told him he wasn't ready, that he couldn't _handle _it. Damn it, they were wrong!

**"They were right about you," **Ermac said insightfully as they caught onto the lingering memory.

The demigod was lost in his anger. "No they weren't! You don't know shit, you weren't even there! That amulet is mine, give it to me!"

Ermac scowled, **"No." **

Rain attempted to stand, already forgetting that he was dealing with an injured ankle. His wound made itself prevalent as spikes of pain shot up from the source and caused the ninja to fall in a heap while clutching it. Ermac had had enough. The pain finally began. And what glorious pain they wrought on the prince.

Telepathically the host took Rain's fingers, each of them, and bent them backwards til they snapped like brittle old twigs. Ermac ignored the shrill cry of pain the prince emitted in favor of breaking even more of his bones. His phalanx appendages in his feet were mentally crushed, the disks and his knees shattered, and the long rods of marrow in his thighs were what Ermac twisted in half and made double over themselves. Rain was absolutely hysterical.

**"You're weak. Immature. Undisciplined," **Ermac sneered in a voice a level above Rain's shouts of agony.

They needn't move a muscle in order to distribute the cold fury that was reducing the prince to a stuttering mess. Rain was trembling now, lying on his side and leaning up shakily on his elbows. His legs were useless now. He couldn't move them, but he could still damn well feel them. He panted heavily and struggled to swallow. His throat was so dry it hurt. It was like every inhalation brought in tiny shards of glass into his mouth that dug into the roof of his mouth and the back of his throat and dragged their way down to his burning lungs. His lungs, he thought they'd explode. There was so much pressure building up inside them and it hurt to breathe. Still, he was stubborn enough to force hoarse words out.

"Fuck you, you bastard!" He coughed.

Ermac just stared. They weren't going to give audience to Rain's inept retorts. They knew the prince was breaking. It was only a matter of time before they'd have him where they wanted him. First, though, it was time to change tactics. As satisfying as it was to smash and crush and twist and snap Rain's bones, it was a method that took a little too long. The amulet was helping, though, Ermac had to admit. It enabled them to feel the demigod's precious marrow crumbling and cracking bit by bit. But honestly, the host was ready for a change of pace.

**"Don't you see?" **They spoke severely, **"This power would only destroy you." **

Rain howled as a nasty gash tore open in his flesh seemingly instantaneously, starting from his hip to his chest. His blood bloomed to the surface and was met by the warm desert air and stinging gusts of sand. Tears sprang to his eyes. He was hyperventilating, it was unreal. There was too much blood, too too much of that red stuff coming out of him. It was impossible! He was coated in the stuff, it was all over him already; soaking through his once pristine white shirt. Now he couldn't tell that it was ever white to begin with. It was sticky and crimson and clung to his skin. The blood had spread. His pants, his boots, the sand around him were all ruined with blood. It was sickening. He'd never lost this much blood. Where the fuck was it all coming from? He was scared, gods he was scared.

Ermac looked at the demigod and their own handiwork and said in an almost reverent voice, **"It would only destroy you." **

The amount of power at their fingertips was awe-inducing. Ermac tapped into Rain's mind. The prince jolted on the ground but remained on his back. It wasn't as if he could move. The wound that had opened up over his chest sent him into shock. He lay trembling as Ermac started in on their preferred brand of torture. It woke Rain from his stupor; Ermac was back in his mind.

The host stood away from the bleeding royal and reveled in the feel of each and every one of Rain's pain receptors sparking to life under their command. Rain was shrieking madly and his upper body was spasmodically reacting to the sensory overload. Rain's nerves were twitching and leaping with Ermac's unseen vectors' slightest touches. Those caresses Ermac swept over his nervous impulses were alighting his body in the worst of ways. His mind had clouded over under Ermac's influence and his eyes squinted shut. That didn't stop the tears from streaming down his blood-caked cheeks. He didn't know how the blood had gotten up there, it just had. It was everywhere. The pain was everywhere.

Ermac wouldn't let up. **"Nerve endings are awful sensitive, aren't they princess?" **

Bout after bout of nauseating pain coursed through his veins and rumbled through his muscle fibers. He was in utter agony. It was all he could do not to heave up anything as his stomach dry retched again and again. Rain rolled on his side and curled in on himself as much as he could without the use of his legs. He could not even think properly much less try to heal himself. He wasn't so sure this kind of damage was all the way repairable anyway. He'd never sustained these kinds of severe injuries before, he had never endured this much pain. This was too much.

Rain shuddered under the wracking mental agony and sobbed quite openly. His cries went almost unheard for how hoarse his throat was. He begged incoherently for the host to stop, to please just stop, but it was as if he wasn't talking at all for the host did not oblige him.

**"Look at you. Crying like a bitch. You pampered little shit, you think you could handle this type of power?" **Ermac jeered.

Rain swore he was about to die. He just couldn't catch his breath and the blood was making him dizzy and he couldn't focus and his heart was beating out of his chest, out of his body it seemed. He was dying. He just knew it. He wanted it. He needed this to be over. This was hell, fucking hell and he couldn't take it any more. He just couldn't take it.

**"Alright, that's enough." **Ermac muttered.

The hold they had over Rain's nerves loosened down to non-existence and the vectors that had been sent out retreated back into Ermac's palm. The prince was a wreck. Even with Ermac out of his head and the pain no longer as prominent as before, he still couldn't stop shaking and panting. He had to focus on breathing in and out, breathing nice and slow not quick and shallow and desperate like he had been seconds ago. Ermac stood by and waited patiently til he'd gained control over that much.

Rain's eyes were still glazed from the torture he'd undergone. But at least he could breathe. With breathing came the settling of his mind, and that was the hardest thing to do. His bones were still powdery and crushed, many of his ligaments were torn, not to mention there was an enormous, bloody slash wound across his chest. It all hurt so bad, but not nearly so bad as what he'd been subjected to moments before. As he took in breath after staggering breath, trying to recuperate, Ermac took their booted foot and hooked it into Rain's side, then rolled him over onto his back. Rain made a face and cried out piteously.

_Why won't he stop? Can't he see I'm dying? Oh gods, why! I don't want to die. I don't want to die. _Rain's thoughts were returning to order but were dismally morose in content. Like a mantra he repeated, _I don't want to die, gods please don't let me die, not like this gods please don't let this pain overtake me, don't let this bastard kill me, gods please don't let me die_.

Ermac could see that Rain was torn. He didn't want to die, that much the host could tell. But a part of the demigod wished for this to be over. That was the part that would yield to them. Ermac stared coldly down at the beaten, trembling, mangled prince and scoffed. Pathetic. They looked into Rain's eyes and waited until they shone lucidly once more before engaging him. They needed Rain to listen and comprehend what they had to say.

**"You're half-dead. Your injuries won't heal on their own, not fast enough at least. **You don't have the strength to use any of your abilities and you have no one here to help you. With no water, no food, and no decent shelter, you might last a week. **Two maybe. Perhaps three if your luck is yet with you**."Ermac described neutrally.

**"****But that is the limit."** they continued, **"****After then, you'll have most certainly fallen victim to dehydration. Starvation. Internal bleeding and insanity. **Any one or a combination of those things will be your most fitting end."

Rain coughed.

Ermac regarded him still. **"However, We have a mind to save you from this wicked demise, though we would be wholly justified in leaving you here. **Since we've noticed even _your_ undeniable potential, we've decided to offer you another option besides the one at hand."

Besides heaving weakly every now and again, Rain was barely showing signs that he was still alive, let alone listening attentively to what the host was saying. Ermac continued, unperturbed.

**"You can either lie here and suffer up until your dying breath, **or you can submit to our authority and live out your days serving under us." Ermac proposed.

The prince lay motionless on the ground. Ermac sighed. They really hoped they hadn't gone too far, that would be a shame. A small one, but one nonetheless. Alas, Rain coughed raggedly and lifted his head a bit.

**"Make your choice," **Ermac demanded, **"Stay here and die. Or join us and live." **

Even with the prince nearly incapacitated, Ermac knew what his decision would be. But the pain and suffering was a necessary means to coerce the prince into making the end decision and of course, it was an important stride in the task of stripping away that damnable pride of his. After all, if Ermac were to have the git serving under them, they had to break him first.

* * *

**A/N: Thanks for all your support once again, and don't be afraid to leave those final reviews! It's been a pleasure! **

**~DymondGold~**


End file.
